Graduates met with students to share their industry experiences at the “Graduate Workshop Talks: First Steps from Faculty to Industry” event held at the Near East University Faculty of Fine Arts and Design.
Sometimes, a student’s career journey can take a completely different turn with a small conversation that begins in a classroom. Moments where experiences are shared, questions multiply, and inspiration abounds constitute the most powerful steps in this transformation. Based on this understanding, the “Graduate Workshop Talks: First Steps from Faculty to Industry” event, organized by the Near East University Faculty of Fine Arts and Design, aimed to build a strong bridge between academia and industry by bringing students together with graduates.
The event, which allowed students to directly listen to industry experiences and develop their professional perspectives, received great interest. The event, held in Graphic Workshop 2, was moderated by Assoc. Prof. Gökhan Okur, a faculty member of the Near East University Faculty of Fine Arts and Design.
Tuğçe Fenercioğlu Peker, Graphic Design Department and Brand Manager at Arkın Group, Özkan Varışoğlu, Director of Gen Reklam, and Erkan Varışoğlu, Director of Gen Reklam, all graduates of the Faculty of Fine Arts and Design, participated as guest speakers at the event.
A look behind the scenes of design!
The guests discussed their motivations during their faculty years, their first steps into the industry after graduation, professional portfolio preparation strategies, and their experiences facing market realities. Erkan Varışoğlu emphasized the importance of theoretical courses taken during his student years, stating that students should pay more attention to courses such as the history of graphic design and art history, and that extensive reading is very helpful in generating ideas.
Tuğçe Fenercioğlu Peker, highlighting the importance of portfolios, emphasized that many details, including the photographs to be used, should be determined according to the institution to which they are applying. In the workshop-focused discussion, which delved into the inner workings of design, candid sharing took place on the stages of transforming an idea into a tangible product, daily work discipline, and methods for overcoming creative block.
Create your unique signature, make a difference in your career journey!
During the event, Özkan Varışoğlu, who shared his experiences with the students, stated that a graphic designer’s only job is not just to design, but also to be proficient in the materials and technical knowledge used in design. The event, which discussed the role of artificial intelligence in the design world and sustainability principles with a visionary perspective on the future of the sector, concluded with the graduates offering advice to young design candidates on creating their own unique signatures, building the right professional networks, and making a difference in their career journeys.
