My Experience as an Interior Design Intern at Brand Creative Dubai

Having recently graduated as an Interior designer from the Canadian University Dubai, I received an invaluable opportunity to work as an intern at Brand Creative and have a sneak peak to what it’s like in the professional design world.

Here are four of the key lessons I learned in the beginning of my career journey at Brand Creative Dubai:

1. PROJECTS: Individual Projects Vs. Collaborative Projects

The majority of interior design projects at University are completed individually or in smaller teams, which makes coordination fairly straightforward.

The challenge intensifies when you make the transition into the professional design world as one is not only required to coordinate with their coworkers, but also external suppliers, contractors, and most importantly, clients, to complete a project smoothly.

2. COMMUNICATION: Comfort Zone VS Diverse Zones

Being in university there is limited exposure to the complexities of communication, in terms of both the study environment and people we voluntarily keep contact with. In a professional setting, one is expected to push these boundaries by a greater degree by dealing with diverse situations and maintaining good relationships with associates  

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3.  REAL WORLD KNOWLEDGE: Limited Vs. Constantly Developing

As students we often work in the hypothetical version of a professional situation. For example, the end budget is often taken lightly, if considered at all when planning a University project. This radically changes upon joining a creative agency as one begins to get familiar with variables such as ‘Material Finishes and FF&E’, the suppliers and the multiple costs involved in project development.  

4.   DEADLINES: Lenient Deadlines vs. Stricter Deadlines

The possibilities of extending a deadline in university come with far less financial and reputational damage. However, this drastically changes as one enters the design profession as missing a deadline will lead to multiple negative implications for the overall project and companies involved as opposed to the individual impact to a student at University.

Overall, the experience as an intern at Brand Creative has been invaluable, and I have learned crucial lessons that will stay with me throughout my career as an Interior Designer in the UAE.

“My Experience as an Interior Design Intern at Brand Creative Dubai”, By Devanshi Jakhiya

Illustrations by Francesco Bongiorni