Reflecting on My Enriching Experience at BMW Group + Design Academy

My internship at the BMW Group + Design Academy was an incredibly enriching experience. I worked on the design and implementation of SORDI AI interactions, an advanced object recognition software for industrial applications. One of the highlights was designing an exhibition booth for BMW Group's Tech Office to showcase SORDI AI and developing two core interaction points to enhance user experience and interface interactions. Through this project, I gained hands-on experience with Blender for modelling and rendering, Substance Painter for texturing, and Adobe After Effects for UI animation.

The internship exceeded my expectations, thanks to the supportive team and valuable feedback I received. One major challenge was seamlessly integrating various design elements across multiple platforms, but with persistence and guidance from my mentors, I was able to overcome this hurdle. This experience not only helped me develop technical skills but also improved my ability to collaborate and identify and solve problems effectively. I am grateful for the opportunity and look forward to applying these skills in the future.

Emotionally, the beginning of the internship was a mix of excitement and stress as I struggled with time management. Balancing a full-time job with two additional university units proved overwhelming and created considerable stress. Recognising the need to focus on my studies, especially in my final year, I decided to step down to a casual position. If I could do things differently, I would have started using Blender earlier and focused on refining one particular skill set to develop deeper expertise.

The skills I gained during the internship have already been applied to my other academic projects. I used Blender to model a micro mobility scooter for my Personal Transportation unit and leveraged my knowledge of Industry 5.0 in my ID6 unit. Additionally, I employed Adobe After Effects to create HUD and UI animations for various products. These experiences have not only enhanced my skill set but also prepared me for future endeavours in the design industry.

Lewis Webb
Academy WIL Intern, Semester 1 2024