A talk I gave to BTEC Computing students yrs 1 & 2 ( aged 16-18) and degree students from the Web Design and the Computing/Business Systems Management courses about moving from education into industry

1. Education and Industry
Jake Smith / JP74
Burnley College
11 Feb 2015

2. Who?
Jake Smith
@jake74
Started working in digital in 1996
Previously
Traditional design/print company
QA Playstation games tester at Sony Europe…

3. What do I do?
Front end developer
Director
I also do…
HR, Event speaking, UX/UI, copywriting, bit of
design, bit of programming, bin emptying and
tea making on very special occasions.

4. Where?
JP74 Limited
Started in 2001
Team of 15 ‘jaypees’
…based in Padiham

6. What does JP74 do?
● In our 14th year
● Originally started making Flash/Director
games for children’s entertainment
● Moved into CMS / back end programming for
blue chip style businesses
● Currently pivoting into a software
development company

7. We’ve worked for…
● D&AD
● Panaz
● Johnson Tiles
● Store First
● Bolton Wanderers FC
● Durex

14. What is ‘Industry’?

15. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industry
Industry is the production of a good
or service within an economy

16. You’re in the industry if…
You’re getting paid to regularly do any task
relating to the creation of the product/service…
web design, software application or video game
Design, coding, accounting, client handling,
copywriting…

17. How did I get started in design?
● Sought an unpaid junior graphic designer
position for two weeks
● Did well – got asked back
● Ended up working Saturday mornings and
any term breaks

18. How did I get started on the web?
● Ex-tutor got a call from a company called
Subnet looking for Shockwave Flash skills
● Worked freelance on a project, got asked to
join full time
● Ended up being there for 5 years

19. How did we start JP74?
● Everyone was made redundant from Subnet
● Pete and I started servicing ex-clients who
now no longer had an agency to work with
● We took on our first employee after 3 years

20. Essentials skills for
working ‘in industry’

21. Communication
● Agile / waterfall etc, fluidity of project management
● Stand up meetings
● Tasks and management there of…
● Working in teams
● Issue tracking
● Time management
● Testing
● Deployment

22. George Bernard Shaw
“The single biggest problem in
communication is the illusion
that it has taken place”

23. Industry = Collaboration

24. Collaboration
● An understanding of everybody’s role within the organisation
● Knowing your roles and abilities
● Recognise the overlap of skills between roles
● Be prepared to help
● Work well in a team
● Don’t be afraid to ask for help
● Accept assistance, you should all be pulling towards the same goals

25. How do we work?

26. Planning Production

27. Planning
● Scoping
● Tech spec
● Func docs
● Wireframing

28. Production
Tech
Front
end
Design

29. What we work in
● Django/Python
● HTML5
● CSS3
● Sass
● Compass
● PHP
● Javascript
● Git
● Node
● Bower
● RESTful
● …and so on

30. How do we find staff?

31. Channels
● Twitter / LinkedIn / social media
● Friends of friends
● Colleges and Unis – stay in touch with tutors
● Attending end of year shows
● Industry events
● Recruitment agencies

32. Getting employed

33. You need…
● A good (and relevant) CV or portfolio
● To show up to an interview on time
● To know about the company and possibly
the person you will meet…
● To be yourself

34. Ethos
● Every studio/agency/company has one
● You spend over 8 hours a day with these
people!
● Don’t be a douche

38. Be eager to learn
● Industry is a place where the hungry will
always find work
● Take pride in what you do
● Start personal projects
● Join others in creating cool new things
● Be enthusiastic

39. Kyle says…
● You learn loads more in industry, it’s well
better!
● Do trainee positions – get paid to learn

40. Industry vs Education
● Tighter deadlines
● You can’t make mistakes, as it’s other
people’s money
● You learn because you have to accomplish
tasks

41. Bonus skills
● Ability to spell and use grammar correctly
● Care and conscientiousness
● Desire to do cool stuff
● Have interests outside of computers/design,
and don’t be afraid to talk about it, no matter
how daft you may think it sounds

42. Me. Regularly.
“You do business
with people”

43. Freelance
There is another way…

44. Freelancers need…
● To be organised
● To deal with accounts and late payers
● Be collaborative with other freelancers or
agencies, as well as their own clients

45. Detect a theme?
● Communication
● Collaboration
● Enthusiasm

46. In summary…
● If you get a chance, take it
● Make yourself indispensable, volunteer to
help at every opportunity
● Bring fresh ideas and passion to the table
● Make the current staff stay on their toes
● Don’t be an asshat

47. Email CVs to amy@jp74.com
Any questions?

48. @jake74 — @jp74
Thank you