The professional internships have started in the Talents Mentoring Program

After the lectures and workshops, the Talents Mentoring Program has reached an exciting phase. The participants are taking part in two-week professional internships, provided by various businesses including manufacturers, workshops, distributors, fashion brands, and media companies. The multi-stage selection process modelled the actual job search process, resulting in successful matches between the companies seeking interns and the mentees.

The Hungarian Fashion & Design Agency announced the Talents Mentoring Program for the first time in the autumn of 2022. Its main goal is to assist fresh graduates and aspiring designers launch their careers and expand their professional and entrepreneurial knowledge. Based on the decisions of the professional jury, 5 fashion designers and 5 product designers are participating in the program, which has reached its final phase.

So far, the program has focused on delivering theoretical knowledge, where the mentees have had the opportunity to familiarize themselves with various aspects of the creative industry through roundtable discussions and workshops. Experienced guest speakers have provided insights on topics such as sustainability, client management, innovation, and communication. In the past weeks, the mentoring program has entered the next phase, in which the selections for the mandatory two-week professional internship took place. One of the primary goals of the program is to allow participants to experience the diverse career paths available in the creative industry beyond design, showcasing other positions where they can apply their knowledge and abilities. In line with this, the practical placements are also diverse, ranging from manufacturing to media, providing interns with the opportunity to engage in tasks different from design.

The mentees found the most suitable matches for their ideas and the expectations of the internship in various ways. For example, Europa Design and Kézmű selected mentees with whom they believed they could collaborate most effectively during the two-week mandatory professional internship. The mentees submitted their professional materials – resume, portfolio, and motivational letter – to the relevant companies providing the internships, as if they were applying for a job advertisement. Subsequently, the candidates were invited for personal interviews by the companies, and based on their materials and the discussions, the interns were selected. The companies showed great openness and willingness to help, positive feedback was also received. They actively participated in the selection process and even recommended candidates to each other.

After the professional internships, there are only two things left in the program. The mentees will present their experiences and insights gained throughout the entire program. This will be followed by one-on-one career planning-focused sessions, where they can discuss personal dilemmas or achievements with Sólyom Andrea, an organizational development specialist.

The mentees do their internships at the following companies: