Student and graduate enterprise
Graduates take a passion for design into schools
Company
Designers in Residence
Loughborough graduate
Becky Lawson
Alister Fraser
Whilst studying for their PhDs at Loughborough, Becky and Alister (pictured above right, and centre) came up with the idea for an exciting new initiative to place young motivated designers, with a passion for their subject, into UK schools to run design workshops.
Based at Loughborough, with an excellent network of design students and graduates, they knew there would be no shortage of candidates! They first pitched their idea in the University’s Student Business Plan competition in 2007 and won second prize. They used the £1,000 cash prize to buy computer equipment for their new business, Designers in Residence (dir/), which they based in Loughborough Innovation Centre on the University campus.
They immediately went about placing designers in schools to run workshops, helping pupils make the connection between the subject of Design and Technology and the most inspirational products and designers in British industry. Designers associated with the scheme worked in some of the country’s most creative industries, including brands like Nokia and Morphy Richards.
In the first two years, dir/ demonstrated tremendous impact, working with more than 3,000 pupils in 250 schools across the UK. dir/ also offered pre-option choice workshops to encourage pre-GCSE students to study design and technology and INSET (teacher training) days.
dir/ differentiated itself from other design initiatives by encouraging pupils to entrepreneurially and creatively engage in the world around them through design activity. Practical workshops covered a range of topics including how to sketch, the importance of brand identity, sustainable design and how to think differently about everyday products.
Becky and Alister were awarded the University’s inaugural Graduate Enterprise Award in October 2009.