Alex Fage

 

For students about to graduate the prospect of finding work is daunting.

Many businesses are freezing hiring and ambition is hard to sustain during a global health crisis.

But not all businesses are turning away talent. In fact, one is doing quite the opposite. JDO, one of the UK’s leading brand design agencies is taking this opportunity to back new design talent through its annual student initiative – JDO RAW 2020.

Norwich University of the Arts student, Alex Fage, has been selected as one of the five finalists of this year’s initiative and he’s in good company. Three design grads from NUA who were part of RAW 2019 have recently signed full-time contracts with JDO as Junior Designers. The trio had to start their first jobs in design during the lockdown which has been quite the experience for them!

Alex  along with the other entrants was challenged with designing a new food/drink brand for millennials using a mash up generator to randomly select two unexpected food, drink or flavour combinations. A deliberately unconventional and ‘open’ brief it was designed to test the students’ ability to take big ideas and ‘package’ them to deliver fully-formed coherent, engaging brands. Alex’s design – Amazon Habanero infused gin – impressed the judges with it’s imaginative flavour concept and bold design.

Amazon Habanero infused gin – photos supplied

The winner will be announced at a virtual awards ceremony in August with a prize including a 4-week placement with the agency plus Apple Airpods Pro and £250. And if the aforementioned hires are anything to go by – that’s a pretty good foot in the door.

In a move to further support graduating design students, JDO has launched a programme of ‘You Can Do This’ webinars. Providing advice and mentoring to enable students to have the best chance of securing jobs in the industry.