Luke Robson

Tell us a bit about yourself and your background.

Hi, I’m Luke and I’m from Newcastle. I’ve always been a creative individual – I started drawing at a young age, then I discovered graphic design at GCSE and I’ve been obsessed ever since! In my free time, I like to stay active through karate, park runs, going to the gym and rock climbing. I’m also a big music fan so I’m teaching myself guitar and love to attend gigs, and of course I support the Mags!  

Why did you choose to study at Newcastle College University Centre for your degree apprenticeship? 

The University Centre offered the perfect course for me: I’ve always loved art and have been creative since I was born, so I knew this was my destined career path. Creative apprenticeships seem to be very rare, so I’m very grateful and lucky for the opportunity that Newcastle College University Centre have given me through the Creative Digital Design Professional degree apprenticeship. 

Did you choose to study at Newcastle College University Centre directly, or did you apply through your employer?  

I chose to study with Newcastle College University Centre directly because they offered my dream course. After I applied, I came onto campus for an assessment day, did the team activity and a mock interview, and then was invited to an employer interview not too long after that! 

Can you tell us a bit about your experience at Newcastle College University Centre? 

It’s been great! I’ve loved learning lots of new Adobe Software and developing my skills as a digital artist even further. 

What kinds of advice and support have you received from your degree tutors, support staff, or the Apprenticeship Team while studying your course? 

I’ve been given great constructive feedback that relates to my design work, as well as tips on how to improve my academic analysis of work. All that has really helped me to develop a greater understanding of the purpose and the motivation behind each of my designs. 

Have you received any kinds of extra support or guidance from staff at Newcastle College University Centre during your time here? 

At the start of my projects, I was struggling to pick which direction I was going to take. My lecturer Paul helped to guide me in the right direction by asking me questions that helped me to pick a design pathway that complemented my skill set, but also still challenged my creative thinking. 

How much would you say you have benefitted from learning from industry-experienced tutors at Newcastle College University Centre?  

I’ve learned a lot from my tutors on the course. They all bring industry expert knowledge on all Adobe software, and they always keep us notified about any new updates and refresh us with new knowledge and techniques to make sure we to keep our design skills sharp and a step ahead of the rest of the industry. For example, they ran an Adobe Max event which launched new updates to Illustrator, and made sure everyone on my course was properly trained in how to use it in their workplaces. 

How do you feel that your degree apprenticeship is benefitting / has benefitted you? 

I’ve developed lots of skills and learned all sorts about new software which I never thought I’d be able to use! I’m also learning how designs aren’t there just to be aesthetic or appealing, but have an important role in marketing a brand or event and so it’s very important to have a strategy behind my designs to make sure they convey the correct message. On the whole, my degree apprenticeship has helped me develop a lot as a designer and I feel a lot more confident in my own ability moving into industry. 

What do you enjoy the most about your degree apprenticeship? 

I get to design for a living, which is perfect for me! I get to learn lots of design skills and techniques both at the University Centre and during my days in the workplace simultaneously, which has really helped to get me ready for my future. 

What has been the highlight of your time studying at Newcastle College University Centre? 

The highlight of studying at Newcastle College University Centre has been the opportunity I’ve had to work collaboratively on group projects for my university assignments, even though my cohort are spread across the country and being taught via Microsoft Teams thanks to how digital-enabled our course is. 

What are your ambitions after you finish your degree apprenticeship and further into the future? 

I want to continue designing at Durham County Cricket Club, but in the future I’d love to join a branding agency where I can learn from seasoned designers and shift my design style to focus on logos and the full brand identity around it, working on new projects that change frequently to give me creative freedom and challenge my design skills. I’ll also be doing some of freelance work, but my ultimate aim is to go full-time as a freelance graphic designer after I have built up my own design business and professional reputation to a good stage.  

What would you say to anyone thinking of studying a degree apprenticeship with Newcastle College University Centre? 

Go for it! It’s the best thing you can do. You’ll learn and develop new skills on both the degree side and on the job side of the degree apprenticeship. Unlike a standard university where you’ll learn the theory without many chances for practical application, here you’ll get to apply your skills to real-world work and get paid simultaneously, with zero student debt! 

Describe your experience at Newcastle College University Centre in three words. 

Exciting, Challenging, Rewarding. 

What are your top five tips for studying a degree apprenticeship at Newcastle College University Centre?

1. Be a sponge! Absorb all the knowledge you can. 
2. Ask questions, learn as much as you can from tutors and understand the reasoning behind techniques you learn. 
3. Get stuck in, even when it gets challenging. 
4. Stay ahead of your deadlines, work consistently rather than trying to do everything last minute! Breaking something down into small tasks will be better than one big task to do all at once, and it’ll be much less stressful. 
5. Enjoy it! You should love what you do - if you don’t it’s not the right career for you.