A Seat at the Table: Learning Design Where It Happens
By Russell Joey Ponce
The two intern team, me on the left and Drozle on the right.
My training under Plume Design House is a formative experience that I am fairly certain I will cherish for the rest of my life. As someone who has never been anything but a student prior to this internship, I was nervous about leaving my comfort zone and entering the “real world.” But with this being an academic requirement for graduating Ateneo, I soldiered on. I do not regret a thing.
Plume Design House is an interior design firm based in Manila. In my time there, I was able to apply the knowledge I learned in school as an Information Design student. For instance, my skillset involves basic research, print publishing and UI design. I was also familiar with a variety of design software ranging from Figma to Canva and parts of the Adobe Suite. These were all utilized in my work in the company. Frankly, I have a wide array of basic skills with no specialization – you could say I am a jack of all trades but a master of none. Yet, my time at Plume proved that this is not necessarily a bad thing since my proficiency across various fields came in pretty handy during the program. I was tasked to do several things: design the company website, create social media content, design the company calling cards, participate in client and supplier meetings, provide input for branding ideas, and shadow under industry experts who generously gave us in-depth lectures from time to time. In today’s interconnected world, the ability to adapt and produce quality work across multiple disciplines is a career trait that I think is important to develop.
Yet, even more crucial than the technical skills, the training also enabled me to develop my communication and “people” skills. I realized I work well in a team - either with my fellow co-intern or the Plume group as a whole. Furthermore, I was able to interact with people from all classes, from the lowest-ranked workers to the senior executives as well as different clients and suppliers.
The Plume Team on the Factory Floor.
In terms of business management, I personally witnessed how professionals run a company. Everything is interconnected and even the smallest detail is vital in the bigger scheme of things-whether it be in supply chains or logistics. In art and design, it’s one thing to learn how a specific piece is made and another to put all the pieces together. Regardless, the goal is always to produce an aesthetically functional space. Plenty of people are involved in the design and construction process. Working within this collaborative environment gave me a much deeper insight into design and business in today’s industrial world.
In sum, my time at Plume has been a valuable one with lessons I will carry throughout my career. Even after the internship program is finished, I intend to continue learning about the industry and eventually, make my mark in the future.