Training and Placement Officer - Design

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Corporate Outreach (Design Industry)

• Identify, establish, and maintain relationships with design studios, branding & communication agencies, product design firms, UX consultancies, and corporate in-house design teams.
• Develop outreach strategies tailored to the design industry, showcasing MITAOE Design students’ portfolios and capabilities across UI/UX, Graphics/Communication Design, and Product Design specializations.

2. Internship Program Management (6 / 12 Months)

• Collaborate with design industry partners to create, structure, and manage 6-month and 12-month internship programs for B.Des and M.Des students.
• Monitor intern performance, gather feedback from host organizations, and continuously improve internship quality and outcomes.

3. Placement & Higher Package Drives

• Drive placement campaigns for design students, targeting recruiters offering competitive and higher salary packages.
• Track placement metrics by specialization (UI/UX, Graphics/Communication Design, Product Design, and M.Des) and design targeted strategies to close gaps.

4. Industry-Sponsored Design Projects & Live Briefs

• Facilitate live industry briefs and sponsored design projects that give students hands-on, real-world design experience.
• Coordinate with faculty and industry design leads to align project scope with curriculum and specialization tracks.

5. MoU Signing with Design Companies

• Lead discussions and negotiations to finalize Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with design studios, agencies, and corporate design teams.
• Ensure MoUs are executed efficiently and monitored for sustained, mutually beneficial collaboration.

6. HR & Recruiter Engagement

• Organize HR meets and recruiter interactions with design-focused companies to understand hiring needs and showcase student portfolio strengths.
• Build long-term recruiter relationships to create a steady pipeline of internship and placement opportunities.

7. Student Counselling & Portfolio Guidance

• Provide career counselling to design students on specialization choices, industry expectations, and career pathways.
• Guide students in building strong design portfolios, case studies, and presentation decks aligned with industry standards.
• Support resume, cover letter, and interview preparation specific to design roles.

8. Employability & Design-Skill Training Programs

• Design and conduct training programs on design tools, portfolio building, design thinking, communication, and interview readiness.
• Collaborate with practicing designers and industry experts to keep training content current with evolving design trends and tools (e.g., Figma, Adobe Creative Suite).
• Organize mock interviews, portfolio reviews, and design critique sessions to prepare students for placement.

9. Data & Reporting

• Maintain accurate records of internships, placements, packages, and recruiter engagement by specialization.
• Prepare regular reports and dashboards for department and institutional leadership on placement performance.

EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

• B.Des / B.Tech degree preferred.
• A postgraduate degree is expected, especially an MBA or equivalent qualification in management.

EXPERIENCE

• Minimum 10 years of experience in design placement / training & placement roles, with a strong track record of placing design students into internships and jobs.
• Suitable and relevant industry experience in the design sector (e.g., design studios, UX / product design firms, branding agencies, or corporate design teams) is expected.
• Familiarity with the design education ecosystem (B.Des / M.Des curricula and specializations) is preferred.

KEY SKILLS & COMPETENCIES

• Strong network within the design industry across UI/UX, Graphics/Communication Design, and Product Design.
• Sound understanding of design portfolios, the design process, and industry hiring standards.
• Excellent communication, relationship-management, and negotiation skills.
• Ability to counsel and mentor students across diverse design specializations.
• Strong organizational, coordination, and reporting skills.
• Proficiency with placement tracking tools / ERP and MS Office / presentation tools.

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS (KPIS)

• Number of 6-month / 12-month internship placements secured.
• Number of final placements and average / highest packages achieved, by specialization.
• Number of new industry partnerships and MoUs signed with design companies.
• Number of live projects and sponsored design briefs facilitated.
• Number of training sessions, portfolio reviews, and mock interviews conducted.
• Student and recruiter satisfaction feedback scores.