Finn
Miller

Why NTU…

Why did you choose NTU and your course?

I always knew I wanted to do BSc Product Design as it is a great combination of technical and hands-on creativity. I chose NTU through clearing as family health issues during COVID meant I just missed out on the grades I initially needed.

Does the “real” NTU match what you’d imagined? How does it compare with your friends’ experience at other universities?

I wasn’t really sure what to expect! But I think it’s safe to say NTU has definitely exceeded what I imagined. I think I’ve been very lucky (compared to some of my friends) to receive such a high level of support and contact hours that have allowed me to make the most of my time here.

What did you think about the course staff? How did they support your learning and university experience?

Course staff have been amazing throughout my time at NTU. Since the very start of first year, Luke Siena (Senior Lecturer in Product Design) has gone above and beyond to ensure everyone is settling into the course and that any issues are dealt with as soon as possible.

Have you been involved in any live projects of briefs on your course and if so, can you talk a bit about one you really enjoyed?

We’ve worked on a number of live briefs during my time here, with most of the projects in the second year being with external design agencies and manufacturers. One that stands out is the collaboration with Norsk Hydro. We were given a lot of insight into their manufacturing processes before putting this knowledge to the test in their brief, which resulted in a cash prize. I gained information that I am still using in some of my final year projects.

How would you promote NTU to potential students in 10 words or fewer?

Hands-on learning and real world opportunities.

Your placement year

Could you please explain more about your recent placement, and what you did during this time?

I worked as a Structural Packaging intern at Kingfisher plc, more commonly known in the UK as the parent company for B&Q, Screwfix and other banner companies across Europe. I worked on and led projects across a number of teams and categories with a focus on value engineering and space optimisation. This experience strengthened my analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills, further solidifying my interest in becoming a property surveyor.

How did you source your placement?

My placement was self-sourced. I was put in touch with one of the managers by a family friend and reached out with a speculative email. After an initial interview, our course placement lead reached out to Kingfisher to further discuss the course requirements for a placement and I had an offer.

What is your favourite project that you’ve worked on during your placement and why?

Towards the end of my placement I worked on a project detailing the handling routes of different products from manufacturer, through a distribution centre, into stores and home to the customer. This gave really great insights into the impact that this route has on a final outcome and inspired me to focus my final year project on a similar review looking at inefficiencies of surgical instrument sterile processing.

What skills have you gained by completing this placement?

One of the big things that I developed during my placement was definitely my soft skills, specifically stakeholder management and presentations: understanding how to best interact with other teams and suppliers to ensure I had access to what I needed when I needed it to best fulfil a project outcome, then subsequently detailing to various levels of the company the impact and learnings associated with them.

How will these skills enhance your employability for your chosen career?

It's been really beneficial in broadening my skillset. Managing and communicating with stakeholders is a big part of any design role and not something that you are overly exposed to in a university setting. Again, it’s already something that has paid off in my final year projects here at NTU.

What advice would you give to an NTU student about to begin a placement?

I would say the main thing is to not see yourself as an intern. Putting yourself out there and taking on the same responsibilities as the rest of the team will teach you a lot more in a short amount of time than waiting for someone to teach you everything.

About the future

What's next for you after NTU?

After graduation I’m returning to Kingfisher on a 12 month contract as a Structural Packaging Engineer.

Has the employability team helped you plan for life beyond NTU?

We’ve had a number of lectures from various people in the employability team explaining the possible routes we can take after graduation and the best ways to prepare ourselves for them.