Na Delft
How can the same degree programme have an impact in different ways? Two alumni explain.
Tekst Dayinta Perrier
© Sam Rentmeester
UX and graphic designer
Baker at Meneer Leffers bakery
Industrial design engineers literally shape our world. So how did Jet Gispen and Ire Oyekan shape their own careers after they graduated?
“Anything but industrial design”, was how Jet Gispen, Best Graduate in 2017, began her search for a degree programme. The daughter of two designers, following in their footsteps was not for her. But she was captivated by the project-based work and atmosphere at the Faculty of IDE open day.
During her degree, Gispen focused on the ethics of design. “Every design shapes the world”, she says. “The key questions are: how do you want your design to shape the world and how do you decide that in the design process?” Based on that, she developed a toolkit that enables designers to understand the ethical issues relating to a design.
After three years, Gispen achieved her dream job as a social designer, designing concepts around societal issues, such as waste separation, vegetarian food or gender identity. She also transformed into a sourdough baker. “It’s a hobby that got out of hand. I’m fascinated by the interplay between the chemistry of baking and working with a living ingredient”, says Gispen.
When she had a chance of a job at Meneer Leffers bakery, Gispen decided to make a radical shift in her career. “It was an impulsive decision, because I had such a calling for baking”, she says. “I gained a lot from being Best Graduate of 2017, but it meant I felt under pressure with regard to my further career. Now, working as a baker gives me a sense of calm. It just makes me happy. Who knows – I may one day return to the world of design and ethics.”
Ideals
Ire Oyekan also graduated in 2017. She opted for IDE purely for the designing. “I loved the idea of thinking up what everything in the world should look like”, says Oyekan. Her degree programme also allowed her to pursue her ideals, including working on a women empowerment programme. “I wanted to set up a company making sandals from waste. The idea was to enable women to generate an independent income at low cost.”
Having put her ideas down on paper, Oyekan set off for Gambia. “I went there thinking I could improve the world within three months.” But theory was not enough and the culture gap was too large to bridge. “It took me a while to recover from that”, says Oyekan. “I was so disappointed that the world was not as perfect as expected.” She decided to stop designing temporarily.
“In those six months, I rediscovered an important part of myself”, says Oyekan. “During my degree, I’d lost myself among all the technical aspects of industrial design. I’d abandoned the creative side that I love.” This is why she decided to set up business as an independent graphic designer. “It gives me the freedom to opt for projects in which I can invest my creativity and ideals.” This included working on educational illustrations about the Netherlands’ colonial past in Papua New Guinea.
She also plans to return to Africa someday to set up a creative empowerment programme. “I’m still preoccupied by inequality in the world”, says Oyekan. “To help fight it, I want to set up creative jobs that can earn a solid income, similar to the Gambia project. That’s where my strengths lie as a designer.”