Olivia's Work Experience Week

This week, I had the opportunity to complete a week of work experience with Buxton Building Contractors. Having studied Fine Art at University, I was looking for hands on experience with graphic design and marketing within a professional environment, particularly using Adobe InDesign and seeing how design work supports day-to-day business operations.

Throughout the week, I worked alongside the marketing team on a variety of creative and marketing tasks. One of my main responsibilities was designing newsletters for both staff and clients using Adobe InDesign. This allowed me to strengthen my technical skills while learning how to create engaging, professional communications tailored to different audiences while maintaining a cohesive visual identity.

I also created a range of social media posts, branded templates and other graphics to support the company's marketing activities.

Each project gave me a better understanding of maintaining a consistent visual identity and producing content that reflects the company's brand and social values.

In addition to the design work, I had the chance to contribute to Buxton's bid and tender process. Using the company's writing proposals tool, I drafted several model answers for tender documents, providing an insight into how clear, well-structured responses can help communicate the company's expertise and values during the bidding process. In addition to this, I was trained in the company's writing proposals tool which enhanced my proficiency in AI systems.

The experience has given me valuable exposure to both the creative and commercial sides of the construction industry. Working on live projects has helped me develop my confidence, improve my Adobe InDesign skills and gain a greater appreciation of how graphic design and effective communication support a successful business.

I would like to thank everyone at Buxton Building Contractors for making me feel so welcome throughout the week and for giving me the opportunity to contribute to a wide range of projects. It has been an enjoyable and rewarding experience, and I leave with new skills, greater confidence and a valuable insight into the industry.