Graphic Design Highlights - Semester 1

A double success for student Erin Hurcombe and graduate Staci Hocknell, who both took part in this year’s School of Thought course and competition.

The intensive 12-week creative programme challenges participants to tackle a new brief every week and pitch their ideas face-to-face to some of the region’s top agencies.

At the end, prizes are awarded for the best ideas and one overall winner wins a career changing trip to the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, worth thousands of pounds.

Erin won two of the four main categories for Best Idea and Best Copywriting, while Staci picked up the top prize School of Thought Champion 2025.

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An amazing 12 Graphic Design and Illustration students were recognised at the Brief Cases design competition.

Brief Cases aims to bridge the gap between academia and commercial work reality by setting students industry briefs which address skills gaps and tackle emerging issues.

The students were challenged to respond to a ‘tomorrow’s households packaging brief’ or a ‘mental health campaign brief to build resilience’ and received support from Brief Cases founder Veronica Heaven and industry partners throughout the project.

Both briefs encourage students to tackle insightful propositions that are carved from considered research, problem solving capability, innovative creativity and design-thinking skills applied to either create a campaign that tackles mental health issues and encourages communities to build resilience. The alternative brief was to tackle sustainability credentials through packaging design and materials for tomorrow’s households.

Students enjoyed successful education visit to agencies in London in November 2025. These included:

• Brand Me
• Elmwood
• We Are Jelly
• JKR
• Territory studio

Sophie currently works as a Junior Design at Girl&Bear following her internship with The Challenger Academy.  She was recently recognised as one of Campaign's 'Faces to Watch' and gave us the lowdown on how the course prepared her for a successful launch into a design career.

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3 brilliant interns from The Challenger Academy's 'Best Summer Job Ever' programme worked at the Manchester HQ at LadBible

For the past 3 years, the Academy has supported our young people from University of Staffordshire and North Staffordshire to learn, create and grow - and this year, they finished their journey at LADbible Group.

Our brilliant students always burst with energy, ideas and ambition. The opportunity from The Challenger Agency and LADbible gives young people a platform, especially those from under-represented communities, and to help inspire positive social change.

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