If you are studying product design or have recently graduated from a design-related course, you might be wondering which careers to explore. The field is broad, with a wide range of roles and industries! This blog explores the world of exhibitions, including CAD design, 3D design, visualisation, and graphic design. We will also cover some of the most effective ways to enter the industry as a new designer.
Design Consultant
Design consultants play a pivotal role within the exhibition industry. Before a stand is sold, the design consultant is the primary communicator between the client and design teams.
Design consultants listen to the client’s requirements for a particular show or collection of shows, be that budget, design brief, or features. They then communicate those needs to a CAD designer, helping them craft a bespoke design that meets the client’s vision. Once the design is presented to the client, the two departments work together with the client’s feedback to perfect the final look.
Tracey Jordaan, Design Consultant at Quadrant2Design, shares:
“What I love about being a design consultant is bringing a client’s vision to life and taking the stress of exhibiting away. Exhibiting can be overwhelming if you’ve never done it before and I love being able to guide clients through this experience.”
CAD Designer (Computer Aided Design)
Over 1,000 exhibitions are held annually in the UK, each hosting 150 to 300 exhibitors! That’s a high demand for exhibition stands. Many exhibition stand design and build contractors provide free, no-obligation design proposals. This means that for every prospective client interested in a design, a CAD designer will create a render or 3D visualisation of the stand.
The role of a CAD Designer will naturally vary from business to business, but the role can entail:
- Designing the layout or blueprint for the stand.
- Analysing the brand resources and website materials to create proposal graphics.
- Rendering and finalising proposals for prospective clients.
- After the stand sale, finalising technical and electrical plans and re-rendering with the final graphics.
Toby Weatherston, a CAD Intern at Quadrant2Design shares:
“I love that CAD design combines the creative and the technical. As someone who excelled in maths and physics through school, it’s amazing to work in a role that allows creativity in tandem with my technical background.”
Graphic Designer
Graphic designers are responsible for creating high-quality, accurate and print-ready graphic designs for exhibition stand panels. They bridge the gap between production and CAD design, creating high-quality and technically accurate graphics.
Once the client has given the go-ahead for the exhibition stand, the work is allocated to a graphic designer. They collaborate closely with clients to achieve the ideal final design, ensuring artwork translates from websites, leaflets and small-format to large-format print.
Sometimes graphic designers have full control over a project, other times they have to work with artwork supplied by the client. Since lead times for exhibition stands can be short and deadlines are fixed, designers often operate under strict time frames. Nonetheless, the job is highly rewarding, particularly when witnessing the project elements come to life from start to finish.
Seona Christie, Graphic Designer and Artworker at Quadrant2Design shares:
“Graphic design is one of the most rewarding jobs, especially seeing a project through from conception to reality. However, you must be disciplined to work to strict deadlines, as there is no wiggle room in the exhibition industry. The show has a set date, and you’ve got to make sure all the moving parts come together in time.”
Getting Into the Industry
If you’re interested in getting into this creative and ever-growing industry, there are a couple of routes to trial. Many exhibition stand design and build contractors offer placement years and internships, to help foster the next generation of designers. Keep on the ball and look out for these opportunities. For example, Kajal Halai, Quadrant2Design’s CAD & Manufacturing Manager, began her journey at the company as a placement student. Since then, she has continued to develop and grow within the industry and is an invaluable team member. If there are no placement opportunities, or you are past placement, your best bet is to reach out, whether a contractor is hiring or not. Put together a portfolio, along with a cover letter and contact contractors in the industry – you never know who will get back to you.
In Summary
The exhibition industry has many opportunities to offer prospective designers, whether on the advisory side, technical, or graphic design. If you’re interested in a design career in the exhibition industry, get in touch with exhibition stand contractors and see what they have on offer – you might just find your ideal design career!
