News / 18 Jul 2025
Graphic Design students complete work placement at GF Smith
BA (Hons) Graphic Design
Two second year BA (Hons) Graphic Design students, Florence Hall and Corinne Baird, recently completed a work placement at UK paper company GF Smith.
Corinne and Florence earned their placements off the back of a live brief set by Josh Williams, a paper consultant for GF Smith. Josh visited our second year BA (Hons) Graphic Design students and set the brief 'Celebrating the Tangibility of Paper in a Digital Age'. The brief was a group project designed to showcase the possibilities of GF Smith paper. Corinne and Florence later approached Josh to ask about the possibility of work experience. After sending in their portfolios to the Director of HR, they were both offered the opportunity to spend a week at GF Smith's offices in Hull.
"Everyone at GF Smith was so welcoming, and their pride for both the company and Hull was evident. For most of the week, Florence and I organised boxes of archives, which was fascinating and a real source of inspiration. We found a plethora of sample books, wall hangings, packaging, and even a GF Smith branded football kit! On the final day we visited Artlink Hull, a community arts charity. This visit was particularly insightful in emphasising the positive impact the creative industry can have on a community, and how companies like GF Smith can work alongside them."
Corinne Baird, BA (Hons) Graphic Design student
"At GF Smith, we’ve always taken pride in our role supporting people taking their first steps into creative - industry careers, so we were very happy to welcome Corrine and Florence for work experience. We set them an unusual challenge when they joined us: to make sense of the contents of a number of unclassified boxes from our archive of creative projects, dating back 140 years. They approached this with enthusiasm, applying their knowledge, creativity and organisational skills to great effect: all attributes that are vital in the workplace. We have no doubt the future is bright for both of them."
Charlotte Diaz, Director of HR, GF Smith
During the placement, both Corinne and Florence gained a real understanding of how the team operates, learning about the various roles within the company and joining a tour around the warehouses and office spaces. The placement widened their ideas of the possible careers within the creative industry and allowed them to think about the future more broadly.
"Going forward, I feel more confident in being open to opportunities within the creative industry even if they don’t directly align with graphic design, and am eager to further expand my knowledge on potential career paths. I am really grateful to have had this experience at GF Smith in Hull; it developed my understanding of production and reaffirmed my love for paper!"
Corinne Baird, BA (Hons) Graphic Design student