Andrea and Thomas

‘It's definitely surreal to have a project that other people see – [especially when] the client is real.’

When design students Andrea and Thomas saw their original work rolling through the city for the first time, the whole of Melbourne was seeing it too – on a tram.  

Tradeswomen Australia, in partnership with Yarra Trams, briefed students in Swinburne’s Design Bureau to create a tram wrap promoting trades careers for women. Thomas and Andrea’s team were eager to design for a real organisation. And so, working within the Design Bureau – a student-led design studio where industry projects are embedded into coursework – they jumped at the opportunity.

‘To have a tram wrap in our portfolio would definitely stand out,’ Andrea said. ‘That's why it appealed.’

Andrea and Thomas needed to create a concept that supported the campaign message: ‘Women succeed in trades, and you can too.’ They came up with a design featuring real tradeswomen at work, alongside text highlighting some of the careers available to women.

Working with Tradeswomen Australia, Thomas and Andrea experienced the push and pull of professional collaboration, and discovered the importance of connecting with your client.

‘What I've definitely developed in the Bureau is communication skills – talking to the client, and being able to articulate ideas,’ Andrea said.

For Thomas, the project brought together everything he’d learnt throughout his degree and channelled it into one great design.

‘A lot of experiences from past projects and past courses I was able to bring in, and … approach this by keeping development and planning very straightforward with a clear, focused goal,’ he said.

But knowing that this project could help Tradeswomen Australia empower the future of women in trades made the experience rewarding on more than just a professional level.

‘There’s a strong sense of purpose to what you’re doing and what you’re making ... it’s a lot more meaningful,’ Thomas said.

Tradeswomen Australia were thrilled with the tram wrap and the message it transported across Melbourne. And now, Thomas and Andrea are designers with a city-wide audience. Although they haven’t graduated yet, they’ve already got a tram-load of industry experience in their portfolios.