Leah Goulbourne
Learning on the job at NOT Wieden+Kennedy: Leah Goulbourne shares life as a graphic design apprentice
Fresh out of university, graphic design apprentice Leah Goulbourne is learning on the job at branding and design studio NOT Wieden+Kennedy – placed through the Adobe Creative Apprenticeship programme. Influenced by music, nostalgia and left-field ideas, Leah reflects on building confidence through real studio work.
About my work
My creative practice
I’m a multimedia designer. I’m all about combining unexpected media and creating designs that make you feel something. Whether it’s recreating nostalgia or transporting you into a different world – I’m all over it.
Leah's website
My Adobe Creative Apprenticeship experience
I’m doing my apprenticeship at NOT Wieden + Kennedy, the design wing at W+K London. The role is funded and structured through the Adobe Creative Apprenticeship programme, which partners with studios to create entry pathways that wouldn’t otherwise exist. They’re the designers, creatives and strategists behind some of the most insane ad campaigns out there – not to mention, they literally invented Just Do It.
I applied after my incredible uni tutor (shoutout Harriet) introduced me to the programme. I was always telling her how I had no clue what I was doing after uni, then she introduced me to this mysterious Adobe thing – and I was all in.
Influences and inspiration
Music is a massive influence on my work. I was raised on early-2000s hip-hop and R&B music videos – getting ready for school with MTV playing in the background was basically my design education. The way I work today is still influenced by those bold, over-the-top visuals and their energy.
I can still picture one Fatman Scoop video frame by frame, which probably explains a lot.
“I’ve always thought all the big names would be rigid, but I couldn’t be more wrong. Even huge, renowned studios want crazy, left-field ideas – the team is always hyping up unhinged ones.”
Favourite recent project
I started off working alongside designers and creatives on developing the visual identity for the W+K Christmas party – creating assets across posters, spatial graphics and digital touchpoints for the event. It's known for having a crazy theme every year. This year it was Christmas 3000, an alien / AI takeover vibe set in the year 3000. Such a fun one to start the apprenticeship with!
Besides in-house work, I’ve also been working on a handful of client projects. It’s mad knowing I’ll be seeing this stuff on TV in a few months.
How I got here
What I’ve learnt so far
The most valuable thing I’ve learned so far is that even huge and insanely renowned studios like W+K are obsessed with crazy, left-field ideas. I always thought all the big names would be rigid – but I couldn’t be more wrong. The team is always hyping up unhinged ideas.
My favourite part of the Adobe Creative Apprenticeship programme
Through the apprenticeship, I’ve been able to work on global campaigns alongside the design team at NOT W+K – opportunities I wouldn’t have had access to straight out of uni. Being trusted with high-level, real-world work this early on has been pretty surreal.
Why I’d recommend the Adobe Creative Apprenticeship programme...
It’s a perfect bridge between uni and the design industry. It makes the transition less intimidating and more accessible, and gives you real industry experience from the start.
“Being a part of the design team on unreleased global campaigns is pretty nuts, I've been working with my literal dream client.”
What challenged me most
Having confidence in sharing my ideas. The team I work with is so supportive and uplifting – they’re always hyping me up. I’ve got them to thank for having a lot more confidence in my work.
What a normal day-to-day usually looks like
I get in at around 9, set my stuff up, make a coffee, check my inbox, irritate my co-workers on Slack, and then start cooking up some fab designs, pretty much.
How the Adobe Creative Apprenticeship programme has helped my career
Being trusted with real work early on – from paid freelance opportunities to an apprenticeship role – has made a huge difference. It’s helped me build confidence quickly, because I've learnt by doing.
What kind of support or structure have you received through the programme alongside your studio work?
Before I even landed the apprenticeship with W+K, the programme made sure I stayed motivated during my search. They matched me with a mentor (Founder and CEO Barry Darnell) who fit my discipline and we had weekly check-ins.
At first, we spoke about the ins and outs of the industry and cleared up anything I was confused about. But that quickly turned into fine-tuning my portfolio and setting mini projects to keep my brain on track while I worked a completely unrelated job.
“The Adobe Creative Apprenticeship programme is the perfect bridge between uni and the design industry. It makes the transition less intimidating and gives you real studio experience from the start.”
How did being part of an apprenticeship at NOT W+K through the programme help your transition from university into industry?
It honestly felt like the perfect bridge between uni and industry. I was working on real, live projects – so it actually mattered – but I wasn’t thrown in with that terrifying sink-or-swim pressure.
Because it’s a funded apprenticeship, I could work at my own pace, ask questions, figure things out properly, and grow without feeling stressed 24/7. It made the jump into the “real world” feel way less dramatic and far more natural.
My advice
What’s been useful to my work so far
Whether now in the apprenticeship stage with NOT W+K, or when I was kicking off my commission project with an internal team at Adobe – I was working on projects for brands I’d actually heard of, not hypothetical ones or passion projects I made up. That changed everything.
It gave me real insight into how studios communicate with clients, handle feedback, present work, and navigate all the back-and-forth that you just don’t experience properly at uni. It made the industry feel accessible instead of this mysterious members-only club, and I got to build experience – and confidence – in rooms I definitely wouldn’t have walked into on my own.
W+K's work for Nike celebrating the world’s best football players
What I’d say to someone looking to get into a similar role
Get into the groove of creating and posting your personal work. You never know what could happen.
What I’d say to other creatives in the industry right now
Stop overthinking – just do it. Post the kind of stuff you want to be hired to create, and most importantly, the stuff that attracts you. Behance is a great place to start sharing it.
This article was created in partnership with Adobe. Every year, we partner with like-minded brands and agencies to support our initiative and keep Creative Lives a free resource for emerging creatives. See here to find out more about how you can work with us.