IADT Employability Design Sprint: Shaping Future Careers for Students and Graduates
The primary objective of the Design Sprint was to develop short, employability-focused digital badge prototypes tailored to address specific needs identified by partnering employers. These badges are envisioned to serve as tangible evidence of skills acquired through mini-courses, bolstering the CVs of students and graduates and equipping them with valuable industry skills during and after their college journey.
Participants collaborated in teams over the sprint duration, leveraging resources such as LinkedIn Learning, Udemy, and The Foundry to create content, visuals, and prototypes. The sprint, led by employers including Oliver, Egg VFX, OSS, and Black Shamrock, culminated in final presentations to a judging panel comprising industry partners and acclaimed actor Norma Sheahan, alongside PR and Marketing expert Bronagh Killeen.
“This event underscores our commitment to preparing students for success in today’s competitive job market,” remarked Dawn O’Connor, IADT Careers and Employability. “By partnering with employers and harnessing the diverse expertise within our community, we aim to curate a library of digital badges tailored to meet industry demands.”
In addition to promoting interdisciplinary collaboration, the sprint prioritised inclusivity, welcoming participants from all academic backgrounds. “We actively sought students who may not typically engage in such initiatives, recognising the value of diverse perspectives in driving innovation,” added Ms. O’Connor.
The meticulously planned agenda, facilitated by experienced professionals, ensured optimal productivity and learning outcomes. A post-sprint review will extract key insights to inform future initiatives.
“We believe these employability badges could be a cornerstone of asynchronous learning opportunities at IADT,” continued Ms. O’Connor. “Through this initiative, we aim to empower our students and alumni with the skills necessary to excel in their chosen fields.”
The winning badge designs will be officially launched later this month, accompanied by a competition celebrating the talent and creativity of the IADT community. Prizes will be awarded to recognise outstanding achievements in badge design.
Winners of the Design Sprint
Team Egg VFX: Cloda O’ Loughlin, Sophie Hoper, Anastasia De Rosa, Charlize Cruz, Ash Clancy, and Deborah ‘Marvin’ Zebrowska.
Highly Commended:
Team Oliver: Karen Harper, José Frias Costa, Max Smith Heil, Bjorki Por Saevarsson, and Anna Barbist.
Team Black Shamrock (Virtuous Games): Renee Ruseva, Sean O’Boyle, Margareta Trapp, Ben Kershaw, Julia Szewczuk.
For more information about the IADT Employability Skills Badge Design Sprint and upcoming initiatives, please visit iadt.ie or contact dawn.oconnor@iadt.ie.
Industry Partners:
Oliver, Black Shamrock, OSS, Egg VFX, Udemy, and Foundry.
Acknowledgements:
The Royal Irish Yacht Club; Isabella Redmond (IADT Graphic Design Graduate), Design Sprint Designer and Facilitator; Mark Butler (IADT Final Year, Creative Music Production), Design Sprint Roll-out.
About IADT Careers:
IADT Careers is committed to supporting the career development of students and alumni, offering a range of resources and opportunities to enhance employability skills and facilitate successful transitions into the workforce.
Testimonials:
“The IADT Design Sprint weekend delivered a highly innovative, practical real-life experience to the diverse student group, representing multiple IADT courses. The briefs, methodology, design sprint outputs and presentations were all of exceptional quality and made judging very difficult. The students all exhibited outstanding pure and applied knowledge to create fit for purpose solutions and design prototypes. In the final judging process, the IADT students showcased highly developed communication competencies via articulate, engaging and inspiring presentation skills. This IADT initiative is one that offers students a unique real-world opportunity, one that builds their experience and confidence to new levels, those that make them even more sought after and employable within national and international marketplaces.” Gareth Irvine, Digital and Sustainable Business Director, Oliver
“It was an amazing 2 days and I just wanted to express my gratitude for all you’ve done. I’m sure everyone feels the same and thank you for this opportunity.” Employer-led Design Sprint Team Member