Pentland Brands is supporting up-and-coming designers to help them kickstart their careers in challenging times.
We’re proud to partner with academic institutions across the UK to nurture designers through mentoring, teaching employability skills and providing opportunities to develop their portfolios. Here’s how we’re taking steps to nurture some of the UK’s brightest creatives.
Kickstarting careers
We’re committed to offering opportunities for young designers to test and refine their skills with us. We’ve enrolled on the UK Government Kickstart scheme, which offers funding for young people, aged 16-24, receiving Universal Credit. We’re currently recruiting two new positions via the scheme – a Junior Motion Graphics Designer and a Junior Social Content Designer. Both will work in our Creative Talent team and, with the guidance of our Creative Talent Manager. Laura Bromley, work on live briefs from across our portfolio of sports, outdoor and lifestyle brands.
Building employability skills
Laura Bromley also works closely with design students across the UK to help them get the best out of their CVs, interviews and portfolios. We’ve recently partnered with the University of South Wales to provide Fashion Communication students with personalised interview, CV and portfolio feedback.
This year we’re hosting several creative careers talks, including lectures at the Universities of East London, Lincoln and Coventry, as well as the Nottingham Trent University’s Creative Futures programme and Manchester Fashion Institute’s employability week.
Live briefs
We join forces with universities across the UK to support design students with live briefs. We’re currently working with students at Ravensbourne University, who have taken part in a live brief to design a miniature collection of outdoor accessories for Berghaus. These briefs help young creatives showcase their work and gain advice from our in-house designers.
Fabric donations
We’re pleased to have donated fabric and outerwear to support a project run by Nottingham Trent University’s Fashion Design Course. The University has collaborated with homelessness charity Emmanuel House Support Centre, with a brief to make clothing for rough sleepers using second-hand garments. The final products will be available to those who need them and used to raise funds to support homeless people in Nottingham.
Laura Bromley, Creative Talent Manager, says: “At Pentland Brands, we’re so passionate about supporting the next generation of creative talent. We believe in them and the great impact they will bring to our business. It’s vital for students to feel supported and inspired and to never give up on their dreams as they are the future!”
To view current vacancies, visit our Careers page at www.pentlandbrands.com/careers.