Design Graduate Scheme 2023

We’re looking for design graduates, early career designers, or people wanting to make the move into design from another career.

Our Design Graduate Scheme 

• A peer network
• Hands-on training
• The opportunity to develop your skills under the guidance of experienced professionals

Starting this September, you’ll be onboarded through a Bootcamp that will get you ready for joining project work, supported by our team, and working with organisations across the public and third sectors.

For one calendar year, you’ll gain exposure to aspects of each of our specialist design and research roles, and our work that supports our clients.

When graduating, you will have the opportunity to apply to move into fully fledged roles in the TPXimpact team within the areas of Content Design, Service Design, Interaction and Product Design, or Design Research.

Roles and responsibilities

Professional Development: Actively participate in Bootcamp, workshops, and continuous learning opportunities to build your design and research skills. Seek feedback from others, and actively work on improving your knowledge and expertise.

Support Projects: Collaborate with TPXimpact teams to support the creation and execution of design and research work. For example, contributing ideas and creative concepts, supporting the creation of artefacts, finessing decks, or note taking in research interviews.

Communication: Maintain professionalism through effective communication with fellow team members, mentors, and where appropriate clients. For example, providing clear and concise updates on your projects, challenges, and achievements. Actively participate in discussions and presentations, showcasing your work.

Collaboration and Teamwork: Contribute to a culture of teamwork, sharing knowledge and expertise to support the overall success of projects and your learning experience.

Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Learning: Actively participate in internal Communities of Practice, and with external platforms, sharing insights, resources, and best practice to reflect your learning progress. Using this to enhance your continuous learning and to encourage your peer group.

Creative Contribution: Bring fresh perspectives and ideas to the scheme and your peers.. Understanding that this is a joint journey of discovery and that you are responsible for shaping it with us.

What you’ll do

Week 1 - 6 Onboarding and Bootcamp

Onboarding will allow you time to onboard into our systems, while meeting some of the TPXimpact team and your peers. Bootcamp will then give you a structured and supported introduction of working in User Centred Design, and the realities of working at an agency.

You will spend your time

• Understanding how agencies work - how you, your team, and client organisations can work together to deliver impact and value through our work.
• Understanding our values and culture - including how your behaviours as individuals and a cohort affect and are affected by this.
• Immersion in user centred design methods and approaches - including the importance of understanding users’ needs, behaviours, and motivations.
• Exploring different design disciplines - Bootcamp will expose you to various design disciplines including tools, techniques, methods and mindsets from User Research and Service Design through to Content Design and Interaction and Product Design.

Week 7 - 10 Design sprint with continued learning

Following a design sprint format, you will have the opportunity to apply the skills and knowledge acquired during Bootcamp.

You will spend your time

• Experimenting with hands-on learning and collaboration - we will provide a safe environment for you to explore, grow and put into practice what you have learned so far through internal projects set by the TPXimpact team.
• Developing your presentation skills - you will have the opportunity to showcase your project work to an audience. Delivering empathetic and engaging presentations as a team that effectively communicates your design concepts, user needs, processes, and outcomes to your peers and stakeholders.
• Taking part in continuous learning and reflection - you will document your design processes, challenges, and key takeaways. Engaging in sharing and discussing your experiences with peers, enhancing your understanding and personal growth as a designer.

Week 11 - 52 Learning by doing: working on client projects supported by the TPXimpact team

You will be given the opportunity to experience aspects of each of our specialist design and research roles through real project delivery.

You will spend your time

• Working as part of our client projects - you will be embedded in multidisciplinary teams. This could be anything from note taking in research interviews, to prepping miro boards for service blueprints to editing and keeping on brand our client decks. As you build confidence throughout the year your role should develop from a supportive to active member of our client project teams.
• Coming together for upskilling and reflection sessions - your cohort will meet together at regular points to have learning input from the TPXimpact team, reflecting on learnings and sharing progress.
• Having regular mentor check-ins - you will be allocated a mentor for the year. This will be a regular person to talk through your aspirations and goals and progress.

About You

Skills and Experience

• A willingness to learn - user centred design is an iterative process that requires continuous learning and adaptation.
• A mindset of curiosity and open-mindedness - willingness to embrace feedback and learn from failure is essential.
• To be adaptable and flexible - this is critical for success in user centred design.

We're looking for people who either

• Have a degree or master's degree in a design related field.

or

• Are looking to change careers with transferable skills, hold an equivalent level 6 qualification and have completed short courses, for example using Future Learn, IDEOU or Experience Haus.

or

• Have learned design skills through an existing job and hold an equivalent level 6 qualification and have completed short courses, for example using Future Learn, IDEOU or Experience Haus.

How to apply

Apply with your CV and covering letter. You can also provide a small portfolio or examples of your work. Successful applicants will be shortlisted for an initial phone screen.

There are a number of further stages for the interview process including a short task and interview – we will be there to support along the way.

If you need any adjustments at an interview, such as extra time or breaks, please let a member of the recruitment team know once they’ve been in touch.

About Us

People-Powered Transformation

We're a purpose driven organisation, supporting organisations to build a better future for people, places and the planet. Combining vast experience in the public, private and third sectors and expertise in human-centred design, data, experience and technology, we’re creating sustainable solutions ready for an ever-evolving world.

At the heart of TPXimpact, we’re collaborative and empathetic. We’re a team of passionate people who care deeply about the work we do and the impact we have in the world. We know that change happens through people, with people and for people. That’s why we believe in people-powered transformation.

Working in close collaboration with our clients, we seek to understand their unique challenges, questioning assumptions and building in their teams the capabilities and confidence to continue learning, iterating and adapting.

Benefits

• 30 days holiday + bank holidays
• 2 volunteer days for causes that you are passionate about
• Working from home allowance
• Maternity/paternity - 6 months Maternity Leave, 3 months Paternity Leave
• Life assurance
• Employer pension contribution of 5%
• Health cash plan
• Personal learning and development budget
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Access to equity in the business through a Share Incentive Plan
• Green incentive programmes including Electric Vehicle Leasing and the Cycle to Work Scheme
• Financial advice
• Health assessments