Tell us more about you and how you got the Endpoint internship
Ben – I’m Ben Cook from Ashtead in Surrey. I’m studying Product Design at Loughborough University and currently living at home this year – which is great as no rent to pay (!). I discovered the internship through university, liked the sound of the opportunity and was pleased when I was invited for an interview (I always feel I come across better in person than on paper). It was great to see the office and meet the team – and that seemed to be mutual!
Sarah – I’m Sarah Nicholson from St Albans in Hertfordshire. Like Ben, I’m living back home with my family this year, which is fun. I’m also at Loughborough but studying Industrial Design and Tech. I heard about the job from a previous intern – Rae – and decided to put my CV forward. It was great to get an interview – though I was a bit worried that I did badly on the test on scalings and size. But it all worked out in the end.
What were your first few days like? Did you know each other before you came here?
Sarah – We did. We worked together on a project in the first year at university. It was quite a nice surprise on the first day here: to turn up and see a familiar face! I knew there would be another intern – someone else in the same boat – but I didn’t know it would be Ben.
The first few days involved just getting to know people, going through housekeeping stuff – working on a Mac, learning about the company, and meeting my mentor. I’m being mentored by Paul Garratt in the design team, also working closely with Pelin Morris and Alison Richings.
Ben – My first day was pretty daunting; coming into a company straight from university! I didn’t know what to expect, but everyone made it easy to settle in and helped us get up to speed. I’ve been working more with the production team – with Christopher Skinner, Pedro Barreto and Christian Lawson.
So, what kind of projects have you been working on at Endpoint?
Ben – We’ve worked on a hell of a lot of projects this year, maybe 50 or 60. It’s been fantastic to work on some big brand names (particularly in the tech industry!), as well as with clients like intu, Tate Modern, London’s Royal Albert Dock – so many!
I’ve actually really enjoyed the management side of things; which was something I would never have thought about before – like project management, which involves taking our technical designs into the production phase, quality checking them, liaising with the client, and overseeing installation.
Sarah – I’ve worked on fewer projects than Ben, but they’ve all taken a bit longer. My focus has been on strategy, concept development, design development – everything that happens before projects go to the production team.
One of my favourites was intu Broadmarsh – a shopping centre. It was a very creative brief and it was great to see the whole process come together from brainstorming our creative design ideas through to fully considered concepts. That came towards the end of my internship, so it was great to feel like the team trusted me to get on with a project and deliver.
Has your experience changed your professional ambitions? Has it opened new possibilities?
Ben – It’s definitely helped me see the wider process – especially the management side. I can see a broader spectrum of possibilities and where working in production can lead to career-wise in, say, five to ten years.
Sarah – I’ve learned a lot about how to approach a brief and the process of responding to one – which has really helped to build my confidence I’ve also learnt lots about wayfinding. The whole idea of creating a strategy around how people move through a space is something I hadn’t really encountered before. Now I notice it everywhere!
What would you say is the best thing about working at Endpoint?
Sarah – The best thing about Endpoint is the people. The design team have been really fun to work with. It’s great to sit down with a new project on the table and just come up with ideas that push the boundaries that we then refine into something usable.
Ben – I agree. The people here are great. One of my most memorable moments was the Christmas Party, which I had to organise with Alison. We did an ‘Apprentice-themed’ event and at the end of it I got to ‘fire’ Christian: my boss!
Sarah – I’m pleased I took a year out to work here. It’s given me the confidence to handle life after university; job interviews and being able to demonstrate what I’ve done. I’ve also learned how to work with clients, handle feedback, and produce professional work.
Ben – I definitely feel a lot more confident in myself. I’m now used to dealing with clients and suppliers, knowing what to say, etc. I also feel like having a schedule has really helped me too – time tracking in particular! That’s something I’ll definitely take back to university with me.
We’re glad the experience was as rewarding for them as it was for us! We wish Ben and Sarah the very best of luck as they head back for their final year. Our next lot of interns will join us in September – we’ll keep you posted!