George Thomson

Profession

BA Product and Industrial Design Alum

College

Central Saint Martins

Person Type

Alumni

Biography

George is from Bombay, India, and graduated from BA Product and Industrial Design in 2022. Whilst at CSM, George was also a Changemaker, working alongside students from different disciplines to implement positive change across UAL.

Interview

Why did you choose to study BA Product and Industrial Design at Central Saint Martins?

How things work and what goes on behind the scenes to make these products take shape has always fascinated me. Curiosity and the allure of being among the group of people who envision and make these exciting designs a reality got me to pursue Mechanical Engineering, although I have always been drawn more to the creative aspects of Industrial Design.

I continued looking into a future in the creative industry, as I was training to be an engineer. While engineering gave me an understanding of various technologies and manufacturing processes, I still wanted to be involved in the research, ideation, and creative direction. This motivated me to secure a place at Central Saint Martins.

What’s the most interesting project you’ve worked on so far?

I would say the final project of the course with Sky. It was interesting to see how the culmination of two years of studies, my year in industry, and the self-directed project undertaken in the first half of the final year influenced this project. I would say it frankly surprised me how the momentum gained during the placement year continued into the final year, greatly benefiting my academics.

Have you completed any work placements / internships whilst being on the course?

From October 2020 to September 2021, I was working full-time as an Industrial Design at Tata Elxsi London Studio, a design consultancy within the Tata Group. As an industrial design intern, I was given the same responsibilities as my other colleagues. This was extremely rewarding as I was treated as an equal and not as 'just the intern'. I worked on multiple projects and seeing my gumption, I was also assigned to lead the creative direction of one of the projects. It was extremely challenging to find an internship during the academic year 2020-21 as it was during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and hiring was all but frozen. This internship helped me build better discipline, a robust work ethic, and a momentum that I carried into the final year and into my next role.

What important piece of advice would you give to students thinking of studying this course?

Three Cs - (be) Curious, (be) Collegial, (get out of your) Comfort zone.

CSM is known for pushing the envelope and this is what your interviewers want to see in your portfolio. Also its these attributes that'll make you a valuable addition to the course.

What are your career aspirations?

I will be joining Jaguar Land Rover as a Colour and Material Designer this summer. I am ecstatic to begin this journey as a designer, especially in the automotive industry in a brand that I have always loved. This is like all the stars aligning perfectly- a dream come true indeed for a car enthusiast.

What is the most important thing you learnt on the course?

Never be complacent. Keep learning, adapting, evolving, and improving your skills. Be a keen observer and listener. You never know what you might learn from a seemingly random encounter.

Links

View more of George's work on his website

George Thomson

Biography

Interview

Links

Central Saint Martins

Contact

Address