Episode 2 of the Design Journeys Podcast hosted by Chris Whyte. New episodes every other Wednesday!

On this episode we're joined by Tom Malloy.

Tom, a principal designer at Elvie, shares his journey in industrial design and his passion for inclusive design. He emphasizes the importance of being passionate about a cause or mission when applying for a job. Tom also discusses the value of cover letters and physical portfolios in standing out from other applicants. He highlights the need for a more modern and relevant design curriculum in schools. Tom concludes by mentioning his involvement with the Design and Technology Association to improve design education. Tom shares his journey from working at Hornby to joining Oxford Product Design (OPD) and eventually Elvie. He emphasizes the importance of design thinking skills and the value of personal connections in career transitions. Tom also discusses his passion for inclusive design and how it has shaped his work at Elvie. He highlights the need for a well-prepared and fair interview process, sharing a story of an interview faux pas.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background
01:41 Career Journey and Role at Elvie
04:53 Studying Industrial Design at Loughborough University
06:12 Facilities and Changes in Design Education
07:01 Personal Connections and Networking
08:21 Internship at PTC and Education Program
10:54 Working on Scalextric for Schools Scheme
16:04 Importance of Design Thinking Skills in Education
20:46 Meeting Rupert and Joining OBD
21:43 Working with EuroPro
23:11 Joining Elvie
26:04 Inclusive Design
29:34 Interviewing at Elvie
35:18 Interview Faux Pas
40:25 Horror stories in recruitment and interviews
40:32 Favorite podcasts and books
41:33 Influences on social media
44:21 The power of AI tools
44:50 The problem with job adverts
46:23 Making job adverts more appealing
47:43 Standing out in an application
48:13 Passion and mission in engineering and design
49:28 The importance of a cover letter
50:46 Receiving applications in the post
52:06 Final thoughts and upcoming events

Takeaways

Passion for a cause or mission can help designers and engineers stand out in job applications.
Including a cover letter and a well-designed physical portfolio can make an application more memorable.
There is a need for a more modern and relevant design curriculum in schools.
The Design and Technology Association works to improve design education and steer away from outdated notions of design and technology. Design thinking skills are essential for designers, and the process of ideation and problem-solving is just as important as the final product.
Personal connections and networking can greatly facilitate career transitions and job opportunities.
Inclusive design aims to create products and services that are accessible and beneficial to a wide range of users.
The interview process should be well-prepared, fair, and considerate of the candidate's time and expectations.

Tom's recommended podcasts:

Sliced Bread - https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07012sf
In Touch - https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qxww/episodes/downloads

Connect with Tom Malloy on LinkedIn: