Jonathan Tatum graduated from the Transportation Design
Programme at UID in 2005.
What is your academic background?
I gained my Bachelor&s degree at Coventry University, School of Art &
Design, and my Master&s degree at Umeå Institute of Design,
both in the field of Transportation Design.
Since you left Umeå, what have you been doing?
I started working in automotive design for two separate
consultancies; everything from concept generation, accessories to
full production programs for both European and Asian OEMs. Last
year I moved into public transportation, and I currently manage Bombardier&s industrial design
facility in Sweden.
What is your best memory from your time in Umeå?
Studying and learning from such a diverse range of creative
people from all over the globe. There were many different cultures
brought together by a sense of a real family atmosphere in the
school. We worked hard but had great fun along the way, and I
learnt a lot.
Which aspects of your education at UID have been most useful
for what you are currently doing?
The knowledge I gained whilst interacting with the industry is
something I use regularly in my day-to-day work. There were many
professionals who gave up their time to travel to Umeå and share
their experiences. This was a great opportunity to gain up-to-date
knowledge, and it forms a vital part of UID's credibility as a
school, current in their tutoring and in tune with the industry.
Umeå also encouraged us to go out and gain experience on
internships by building the course modules around collaboration and
sponsorship - so there is no excuse not to get experience and
increase your employment chances after graduation.
Do you have any good advice for new UID students?
Enjoy it! This is one of the best opportunities to evolve and
enjoy your profession, you will have all the knowledge, tools and
experience you need to grow as a designer, and to see what area of
design interests you. After all, you spend most of your time at
work, so it&s important you like what you do.
Why did you choose UID over any other schools, and did you
apply to any other schools beside UID?
Yes I applied to Coventry University and they offered me the
option to carry on there with my MA. I applied to Umeå because it
was free, it was something new for me, and I liked the work that
had come from the last degree shows. It was a good opportunity for
a different experience, really.
Why did you continue to study for an MA?
It was obvious that it was extremely competitive in the
industry. When we did our BA degree show in Coventry, we were kind
of hidden away, there wasn&t much exposure, and I was still
very young. It was a good opportunity to carry on and get more
experience, and I felt I wasn&t quite ready yet.
Do you think UID prepared you well for the professional
world?
Definitely, I think they did everything they could have done. It
was a solid couple of years, there was a lot in there. I definitely
learned a huge amount at UID and I owe a lot to them. The tutors
were great; the industry experts that came in, I really developed
there, so I have only good things to say about the school.
Did you undertake internships while you were studying at
UID?
Yes, I first went to MG Rover, England, in the summer, and then
I spent some time at Land Rover, just before my final year
project.
Is the "real world" what you expected it to be?
In many ways, I think university life can be different; at UID
you are surrounded by people with the same creative/innovative
interests who understand the value of good industrial design, in
the ℜ world& you work alongside other professionals with
different educational backgrounds each with their own perspectives
to contribute, in many large organisations industrial design
represents the minority - so you need to be very clear and
convincing in order to sell the importance of your perspective.
Did UID make you appreciate Scandinavia?
UID was one of the reasons I got a really good feeling about
Sweden: the people, and the place. It is quite similar in many ways
to the UK, it's not such a culture gap, but I enjoy living here and
I love living in Stockholm. I think it helped me with the job as
well, that I have been taught in a Scandinavian school, and I have
been exposed to Scandinavian design.
Did you learn any Swedish when you studied at UID?
I took maybe two courses, two lessons, that is, but the
schoolwork took over, unfortunately, I didn&t continue with the
lessons, but it would have been useful definitely. I understand a
lot now, but I struggle with speaking and need to learn more to get
into the culture, although everyone speaks such fantastic English.
I think it's polite to make an effort and speak the language of the
country you live in.
Which aspects of the UID life do you miss the most?
I think it is probably being with so many different creative
people. My class had people from, for instance Israel, Austria,
Norway, Russia, Argentina and Mexico, and it was such a unique
opportunity to learn about different cultures, and meet interesting
people. It&s a bit unfortunate that so many people have gone
back, or to another worldwide location. That&s the disadvantage
of such a multicultural environment - people disappear
afterwards.
With the introduction of the tuition fees, do you think the
diversity will decrease?
It will definitely change the feeling of the school. I think
that a unique part of UID is the cultural diversity and the class
sizes.
Jonathan was interviewed in January
2011 by Louise McCallum and Elinn Bolonassos
