Team Spotlight: A Day In The Life of a Product Design Intern at Haddonstone
This week, we’d like to introduce you to Josh Chandler, a talented and driven individual who is currently completing a month-long internship with the team at Haddonstone.
Josh is studying Product Design BA (Hons) at the University of Northampton. As a second year student, he was keen to gain some first-hand, real-world experience with a local product manufacturer.
In this new team spotlight, Josh describes some of the projects he has been involved with. This has included creating some original cast stone bollard designs complete with LED lighting. Josh’s final bollard designs will be developed into a new Haddonstone product range.
Over to Josh, to tell you how his internship has gone so far…
Let’s take it back to when I first had my interview for Haddonstone. It was me and four others competing against one another for a chance to become a product design intern for the summer.
When I had seen Paul Hines’ (my lecturer’s) email about an amazing opportunity at a leading cast stone manufacturer, I had to take it.
After my interview, I felt confident that I had sold myself well, while also showing my interest in the company. Following the interview and the waiting days, I got emailed an offer for the job which I was ecstatic about as it is a great opportunity to not only get a business insight but also a stepping stone into my career in product design.
On my first day, I was nervous but also excited at the same time. I sat waiting patiently until I was greeted by a lovely lady called Katherine, the Director of Production.
I was then shown around the manufactory and facilities by a man called Devanshu. He took me through each of the processes from where the cast stone mix was made to how the material was packed into each mold. After being shown the whole manufactory I was taken to the meeting room, where I would be shown the LED lights I would be working with for the brief I had been given in my internship briefing.
I set my laptop up and began to crack on with my designs ready for my presentation the following week.
On my second day, I was on the manufactory floor, learning how each mould is packed and how to carefully take apart a mould without damaging the stone inside.
I was then in the manufactory for the following days learning the tricks of the trade.
Being in the manufactory instead in the office gave me a good perspective of where my designs go and how I need to factor in how each mould interacts with the design, while also looking at how easy it is to pack and unpack.
My second week was spent in the meeting room that had been altered to become an office in which I could work. I spent the week designing my bollards making sure that each model was functional, could house lighting and could be easily installed once sent out to the customer.
I found that when I needed help or needed any information about anything there was always a friendly face to help me. Having not experienced that at other workplaces, it was nice to feel such an almost family-like dynamic where everyone looked out for everyone not everyone just looking out for themselves, which is a real credit to the Haddonstone team.
In my third week, I was sent over to East Haddon where I was joined by Roshan, who is one of the marketing team, to go over a few things which I had been set to do. We went through everything I had been set to do before I went into my meeting to present my ideas to David Barrow, the Managing Director the company and Will Haxby, the Marketing and Home & Garden Sales Director.
I presented my ideas and they were greatly received, and four of my eleven designs were picked for further development.
On my second day in the office, I was upstairs in the Building & Construction contracts department, where they do the quotes, designs and sales of the stone products. Basically where the heart of the business runs.
I was given a desk with a computer where I could work. I was shown how they do their designs and booking-ins, which I was later shown how to do. I did eight bookings on my own which was a really good way to learn as I learn best with repetition.
I was tasked as well with measuring a stone product that I then drew up in CAD for it to be sent over to the moulds office to be cast again.
Overall it was a great experience where I learned and got a real understanding of how a business runs, while also getting a feel for the industry I want to go into.
I would highly recommend an internship at Haddonstone or just an internship overall, it is a great experience that also can be added to your CV and is a stepping stone to your career in design.
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