From fine art to visual merchandising: Antonio’s journey

Through the Future Skills programme, Antonio gained industry experience, worked with Unilever on a live brief, and discovered a clear direction for his career.

When you started your fine art degree at Kingston University, did you know where your creativity might take you after graduation?

I was confident in my creativity, but I wasn’t really sure where it would lead after university. That started to change as I engaged with the Future Skills programme. It gave me the tools to understand how I could apply my creative talents in an industry setting and helped me think more seriously about the career paths available to me.

What impact did working on a Future Skills live brief with Unilever have on you?

Working with such a large company was intimidating at first, but it gave me a real insight into how creative projects work in industry.

The project had a set of specific requirements and professional expectations, so learning how to work within those constraints prepared me for future creative briefs and gave me a much better understanding of what working within the industry will be like.

What did the Unilever project involve?

As part of the Apply phase of Future Skills, I had the opportunity to pitch for an art commission at Unilever’s new UK headquarters in Kingston town centre.

I was really proud when my work was selected and displayed in the building’s main foyer, where it can be seen by staff, visitors and the wider public.

What was it like seeing your work displayed in that environment?

It was amazing seeing my work up. I’d only ever seen my work in studio or gallery spaces before, so seeing it in a corporate environment was really validating.

It also made me realise how many different opportunities there are for creative work outside traditional gallery settings.

Did the experience change the type of career you wanted to pursue?

Definitely. It reinforced my ambition to work with brands in a commercial creative context, particularly in areas such as retail design and visual merchandising.

I hadn’t realised how many different people were involved in a project like this – from architects and designers to everyone responsible for bringing the building together. It was really inspiring to think that’s something I could become involved in professionally.

How did Future Skills help you understand how your creativity could be applied beyond your degree?

Each phase of the programme made me think more about how to adapt to different challenges or opportunities, and how I could really utilise the skills I was building in my course.

It also encouraged me to research the industry I want to work in and reflect on what I can offer and how to articulate that effectively to employers.

How did your confidence develop throughout your time at university?

As my confidence grew, I started applying what I had learned more directly to career opportunities. Future Skills provided a structured way for me to think about my abilities and how they could translate into the workplace.

It helped me understand not just what I was good at creatively, but how those strengths could be valuable to employers.

You’re now graduating with an honours degree in fine art. How would you describe the role Future Skills has played in your development?

Future Skills has been a really important part of my development. It helped me build employability skills, but, more importantly, it helped me understand the direction I wanted to take.

Having the opportunity to work directly with employers gave me a much better understanding of what working in industry could look like and helped me realise how much I enjoyed working with brands.

And what are you looking forward to now that you’ve graduated?

I’ve now secured my first role in visual merchandising, so I’m really excited to get started with my career.

I’m looking forward to creating brand-led creative work across retail environments and physical spaces and continuing to develop the skills I’ve built at Kingston.

What would you say Future Skills has given you as you take your first steps into your career?

Future Skills provided the space to focus on the skills I needed for the career I want to follow. I was supported to reflect on my strengths and the areas I needed to develop, and that gave me much more confidence when applying for jobs.

Having the opportunity to work directly with employers also helped me realise how much I enjoyed working with brands, and now I’m excited to get started with my career after graduation.

Take your learning beyond your degree. Find out how Future Skills can help you develop workplace skills and gain valuable industry experience.