Jason Norris’ Blog

I’m just a little over two weeks into my final placement as the Apprentice, working with Stefan of 3Form, but I’m actually involved with a number of projects with Stef, some of which fall outside the scope of 3Form.  So far, the best way to describe my time is that of a roller-coaster ride.  What was obvious from day one is that Stef is a very unique guy, and by that I mean both the way in which he works and the passion that he has for what he does.  When we first met, we ran up a long list of the potential projects that I could be involved with, from the creative design work of 3Form, project managing the various clients that are using Stef’s design skills to create a new image for their company to the not-for-profit initiatives that he works on.  I’ve met some fantastic people from Creative Republic, met some high profile clients (and helped to pitch to them!) as well as helping to book tickets to New York for Stef to pick up his Webby.

But that says nothing about the biggest project we have been working on.  Stef is right in the middle of a new start-up, the culmination of an idea that came to him about 18 months ago.  I’m lucky to be involved at the stage where this idea is just about ready to be launched.  Its still a little hush-hush, but its the kind of thing that once is out there, will be something that we are always talking about.  My role is to help Stef to get this off the ground, getting the right people involved at the right time, and to offer a fresh perspective to the ideas that Stef has.  So far its been going really well, we have had some really productive days, and we are just about on target for our anticiptated launch date.  The whole project will actually be launched by Stef in New York, as part of Internet Week.  I wont be there unfortunately, my role will be back in Birmingham!  

The idea of my year as the Apprentice was to learn as much as possible about three very different types of business. So far, Deloitte have given me a fantastic insight into the world of International Tax, given me some real thinking points about how I work and shown me the reality of working for a global company.  LMM was a unique and great experience of how a medium sized SME company works within a developing market, how decisions are made in a small firm, and taught me huge amounts about a market which was completely new to me.  Now, with Stef, I am part of a new company start up, seeing how an idea becomes a business proposition, as well as using my project management skills to help ensure that a variety of different projects are delivered on time, on budget and to the objectives defined by the client.

Its the best graduate job I could have dreamed of, I am completely confident of that, and I would doubt if any graduate of 2007 has had half of the experience that I have been lucky enough to have gained to date.  I’ve only got 14 weeks or so left as the Apprentice, and I have a lot more to learn from Stef, but I’m delighted to know that whatever happens in September, I will have made a real difference to my future career.  The truth is that I am lucky that all of this is happening in my new adopted home, Birmingham, a place where I will be for a long time with opportunities like this.