Mabel - An illustrated GO Wales story

GO Wales led to Mabel gaining valuable professional experience in the creative arts and access to a programme to develop business skills.

Mabel's story

I learned about GO Wales when browsing the careers section of the Open University website. During my last year of studies, I began thinking about what I could do after graduation and attended talks offered by GO Wales. I talked with the career advisor, and we followed up and reviewed my work experience, education, skills and interests.

The catch-ups were always casual and very positive, very helpful in easing the uncertainty around what to do next. Soon after, the team contacted me with an employer that met my interests and who was interested in my skills. The application process for the placement was very organic. I really enjoyed the whole process. 

Starting with the film company

My placement with the film company involved assisting with projects - anything that needed doing, from branding to research and illustration. The core of the company was a small team of two, and I assisted with projects and worked independently on tasks that I was assigned.

One of the projects required me to assist with the creation of the branding for a new documentary film development programme. I worked on a selection of logos with a mix of digital and handwritten typography and various colours before selecting and finalising the design. This work was later incorporated into social media posts to market the programme. 

I also really enjoyed creating a story board for a pitch deck. I interpreted the business plan into illustrations, following its narrative. This contributed to the creation of an informative, compelling and visually engaging presentation.

The joy of creativity and innovation

Witnessing the amazing producer and assistant working on constructing projects they are passionate about from beginning to end was an inspiring testament to the joy of pursuing creativity and innovation. I learned that I must preserve the time and space to continue creating and exploring.

I was excited to find myself applying the skills I learned from creative writing about structuring narratives when participating in conversations about crafting engaging stories from raw material. It was also inspiring, and I felt that I learned the most, by being present when production costs, budgeting, founding, logistics and schedules were discussed. These consolidated for me the importance of communicating kindly and effectively with people when working towards a shared vision. 

Reflections

I started the role feeling ready to help with anything that was needed, and a bit nervous about the uncertainty of what I would be required to work on. Towards the end of the role, I felt positive that I was able to tackle and figure out almost anything, and I loved the variety of things that I got to do because of being in a small team. 

I feel grateful for having been welcomed to participate in the creative conversations between the producer and assistant, and I got my most enjoyable memories from those casual brainstorming conversations.

I won’t forget the kindness of the whole team, and I would love to carry that warmth and excellence I experienced to my professional interactions. 

After the placement 

After completing the placement, I attended a business programme at Welsh ICE that encouraged me to make the most of my ability for visual storytelling. This winter I recorded videos of the process of illustrating and painting stories, and I have begun sharing them online. I wish for my art to visually transport other book lovers to literary worlds. I have named the project La Casa Forestal, and I would love to take this opportunity to invite everyone to come in and say hi. 

I would recommend GO Wales to any student that is open to have a chat about their career plans with some lovely people. I would love to thank everyone involved for all their generous time and dedication. It has been a truly enriching experience.