Placement Preperation

My course is over four years, with one of them being a placement year. I think this will be a fantastic opportunity to learn, gain experience and make some contacts. When I was applying to university and it came to choosing a place, I chose Huddersfield mostly because of the placement available.  I was impressed with the length of the placement; a year compared to a few weeks, which is a big difference and very valuable.

My skills 
I am a highly creative and logical thinker who focuses well on different tasks. I am a good communicator who can listen and appreciate other people’s ideas. I am emotionally mature, patient flexible and adaptable. My strengths are in practical tasks, in particular, embroidery and computer aided design. I am proficient in Photoshop skills and I have a basic knowledge of AVA, I am also confident in using the domestic sewing machine and the Amaya industrial sewing machine. I also have an online portfolio; take a look at it at: www.u1264004.wix.com/ebmcnichol

For my placement year I am interested in doing a few different placements, to gather an understanding of many types of workplaces, to enable me to have a better informed decision of my career path when I graduate. I am keen to explore jobs such as a freelance artist assistant, a gallery assistant, a teaching assistant and working in a textiles based arts and crafts shop. A second valuable possibility for a placement, which I am interested in exploring after addressing the possibilities listed above, is a job in a small commercial textiles company, so that I can gather an understanding of that type of industry as well. As a Contemporary Practitioner my main focus is textile art based jobs, which is why a commercial placement is a secondary possibility to me.

I have not started applying for any placements yet but I have few in mind that I intend to peruse, they are: a teaching assistant at my college where I have contacts, a teaching assistant at a primary school where I have contacts, a specialist unit for integrating students back into school where I have contacts. I also intend apply to museums, galleries and textile craft shops around Huddersfield, Liverpool, Manchester and Scotland.

Blogging Introduction

I am Evangeline Beatrix McNichol. I am a student studying BA (Hons) Textiles and Surface Design at the University of Huddersfield. I have set up this blog to support my studies and use for reflection in my modules. My specialisms are embroidery and contemporary practitioner. The modules I am studying at the moment are:

·         Theory and Context - Studying the use of textiles within global issues such as Well-Being, Sustainable Materials, Archival Interventions etc., and recently in term two I have been given local briefs involving the community.

·         Contemporary Practitioner Context – Completing live briefs from a textile art point of view whilst studying and taking inspiration from other textile artists.

·         Embroidery Techniques – Learning and documenting both hand and machine embroidery techniques.

I learn drawing and computer aided design on Photoshop, Illustrator, and AVA. I also have the opportunity to use the laser cutter, various printing techniques and the Amaya sewing machine. My course allows for me to choose between BA or BSc as my degree title. BA is a practical route and BSc is a much more scientific and theoretical route.