Student Placements & Apprenticeships

Investing In Skills For The Future

DEMAND’s objectives include encouraging design for disability. Each year we take on students for 48-week placements, at both our sites as junior-designers. The quantity and range of projects we deal with means that they participate in a number of initiatives. As their experience grows, they are given increasingly complex projects and eventually lead the design.

Students take away with them the benefits of incorporating design for disability in everything they do, which helps influence the thinking in their new design environments. Universities rate our placements highly. As a small organisation we provide a complete overview of the work we do and real projects with real responsibility, meaning it is one of the most rewarding placements on offer. As one of our students said on leaving “It’s been a life changing experience”.

We have also recently begun an Apprenticeship. In the past our skilled craftsmen have come from the dwindling manufacturing industry but as time goes by we have to consider other ways of securing skills for the future. George Fox (19) joined us in September 2010. In addition to working with us he has formal academic training at college one day a week.

	Lynnette Smith, BSc Product Design, Brunel University ‘I love meeting such brilliant people, and knowing that DEMAND’s designs will make a real difference to them’ In 2011 she has developed a painting easel for people with limited range of movement, and an eating aid for a client born with no arm.
	Daniel Tyas, BSc Product Design Engineering, Nottingham Trent University ‘The best bit for me is the variety with every day offering a new challenge and a chance to learn another skill’ In 2011 he manufactured a special headrest for a child and is developing a positioning system for a teenager to help him comfortably sit on a sofa.
	Liam Cabourn, BSc Product Design, Nottingham Trent University ‘One of the best placements available where you are able to learn the full spectrum of design skills. Fantastic year so far!’ In 2011 he designed a supportive seat for a children’s buggy, helped with the technical development of the new Boccia ramp and designed a foot prompt system for a client with cerebral palsy.
	George Fox, Engineering Apprenticeship, Oaklands College ‘This year, I have learnt more than I could have imagined, with input from both my college and the team at DEMAND’ In 2011 he has led the manufacture of a folding handrail, among many other projects, and continued to master the manufacture of Boccia ramps.