DINZ Interview

Milly Scott DINZ

Industry Insider Insights

Milly Scott has a design career that’s flourishing. She’s part of the busy, multidisciplinary team at Designworks’ Auckland office. We caught up with her recently, just after the photo shoot she was art directing had wrapped. “I’m really enjoying the art direction and photography side of things right now. Being in quite a large studio, I have opportunities to work on photo shoots for big clients and small clients at the same time. This is shaping my experience in new ways, because I’m doing more than branding, I’m doing art direction projects as well.”

Rewinding a few years, in 2015 Milly was one of the original twelve members to form the first DINZ Student Council. 

“It was a unique opportunity to define the vision for the Student Council. The key idea was to be a bridge between the industry, students and graduates,” she explained. “We wanted to create a platform for graduates and studios to connect in a professional capacity and to establish working relationships with the industry.”

So, what key initiatives did Milly and her student peers set in motion? “One of our main ones was a mentorship programme. Student Gold Pin winners would receive a mentorship with a studio. We saw this as a strong way to form ties with industry professionals. This lead to students getting internships and students being exposed to the kind of opportunities they normally wouldn’t get. Having a relationship like this before finishing university is quite a head start. Portfolio nights also give students a unique insight into what studios are looking for. You get one-on-one perspectives from senior level designers working in the industry. It’s helpful for crafting your portfolio, preparing it for the industry before going out into the real world. Plus, our guest speaker events gave us an understanding of the thought processes of a pro. Knowing where they got their ideas from was inspiring,” she added.

Today, as an active DINZ member, Milly enjoys the chance to network with a wider range of designers she may not otherwise get to connect with. 

 “Collectively, we’re building up the value of the design community. When we share our success stories and challenges, it encourages a positive outlook for the whole industry.”

And for the younger designers on the cusp of their careers, what advice does Milly have? “Get out there, get connected, get involved. Sign up with DINZ, come along to their upcoming events, attend the open studio sessions. I wouldn’t be as connected as I am now if it wasn’t for attending their events and getting to talk with so many industry professionals.”

Storytelling by Simon Otto.

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When the opportunity arises, DINZ interviews leading designers from here and overseas. These interviews seek to dig beneath the surface to address the common and uncommon challenges, problems and opportunities the design community faces.

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