The pandemic taught us that survival in a rapidly changing world requires Innovation and Creativity, says Country Head

Yan Garin, Country Head of Ecole Intuit Lab, Mumbai, speaks with Shiksha.com about one of their recent virtual events, ‘Design Your New Age Career,' which was held in collaboration with Techno India University in West Bengal. The festival included contests, treasure hunts, panel talks, live visual scribing, and much more, and was billed as an educational and engaging event for students and young professionals interested in pursuing professions in design and gaming.

Yan has over 20 years of rich industrial and academic experience.
Read the complete interview below.

Q: Tell us about your virtual event – ‘Design Your New Age Career’. How can the aspirants benefit from it?

A: Kolkata Design Festival 2021 - Design Your New Age Career, by École Intuit Lab in association with Techno India University, West Bengal, has announced a virtual event that aims to garner the attention of students with a keen interest in Gaming, Visual and Graphics Designing, UI/UX and digital design. The event is scheduled on 16 and 17 July 2021.

Through interactive digital activities such as contests, treasure hunts, panel discussions, live visual scribing and much more, the event has been thought of as an informative and interactive festival for students and young professionals toying with the idea of building careers out of their passion for design and gaming. Whether it’s entrepreneurs who have made it in the world of design and gaming or leading digital product designers, the virtual event has an eclectic mix of mentors lined up for young students to draw inspiration from. These mentors include Shandar Junaid - Strategic Development Manager at Adobe XD, Rahul Bhattacharya – Head of the Department, MDes Integ. Programme at Unitedworld Institute of Design, Kyle Fernandes – CEO and Co-founder at Meme Chat, Fawaz Dalvi – Interactive Designer at Vice Media, Francis Goeltner – Associate Art Director at Ubisoft India Studio, Shiben Bhattacharjee – Game Director at 88 Pictures, and Saumya Iyer – Mobile Games Producer at Gear Inc.

Q: Today’s students are looking for emerging new-age career options. With the ongoing Pandemic, what is the importance of unconventional education courses in India?

A: The pandemic taught us that Innovation and Creativity are the keywords for survival in a rapidly changing world. It has opened doors to vast career options giving students to think beyond conventional streams like engineering and medicine. The post-pandemic world will see the emergence of new-age offbeat careers that are born out of students’ passion.

The world has opened up to innovations in various fields that were never thought of a year ago. Demand for designers and innovative professionals in every industry will grow exponentially in the near future. The options to blossom in careers that give a chance to create are unlimited. A degree in Design or Gaming Art has the potential to allow young people to develop strong creative skills while exploring their own desired disciplines.

Q: With a host of prominent design schools in India, how École Intuit Lab plans to stand out and what makes their offerings unique?

A: India is home to a lot of pioneering design schools; however, they have found it challenging to evolve with time and still follow outdated methods of teaching and curriculum. At École Intuit Lab, we offer a fast-paced curriculum that is advanced and future-ready. Our experienced faculty and mentors are industry experts from different streams of design and help students build a solution-oriented perspective to designing. The designing courses demand students to go beyond aesthetics and technical expertise and make them think strategically and professionally to be ready for the creative world. The sketching ideas are not only limited on a drawing board but are taken to the digital space and eventually translated into reality by the students. Our projects make us stand unique with emphasis on students expressing their creativity with the current world issues and problem-solving techniques. The partnerships of our Game Arts and Design program with one of the leading games developing companies – UBISOFT, give students an opportunity to intern with them. Students also have an option to complete their fourth year at Abertay University in Scotland which is one-of-a-kind course in India.

Q: How can an integrated creative curriculum help shape a balanced education experience?

A: The curriculum at École Intuit Lab exposes students to the real world throughout their education, by maintaining a balance between training and experience and theory and practical knowledge in a seamless manner. With a focus on industry-academia, our curriculum helps students develop their own intelligent, reflective, creative personalities alongside a professional approach and experience, making sure that every student is equipped for the professional world.

Q: What kind of international exposure do the students get at École Intuit Lab?

A: At École Intuit Lab, the students get numerous opportunities to interact globally. Through our vast international network, we organise international workshops, masterclasses, exchange programs, travel, and internships, for students to understand and experience other cultures.

Students also have an option to study a semester at one of École Intuit Lab international campuses in Paris, Marseille, or Sao Paulo. The students are also offered a 2-weeklong workshop abroad where they get an opportunity to experience the creative culture of different countries. Our longstanding partnerships with agencies across the globe give our students a network of international choices for their internships.