Dear David
Some 40 years, we, at l' École de Design industriel de l'Université de
Montréal, used to be placed in industry during the 5-6 months of Summer
vacation. I don't know whether or not this apprenticeship program was
maintained after I left, those who are still there would tell you more.
At that time, from what I recall, there was no systematic official protocol
that was followed. Either one or the other among our professors would
informally contact some of her/his friends in industry and Design Office,
requesting these latter to kindly take in one or two students for summer,
of course unpaid and not credited. Just to watch how things run in a Design
Office and at the shop work floor. Or, each of us, on optional basis, would
find one's own contact and just inform the Faculty.
Among several other aspects that I would develop if needed, the main
emphasis was on 'participatory observation' : just to get us out of our
academic ivory tower and see how real life of designing and manufacturing
goes on. A good move indeed. But one that I somehow found not that much
fully beneficial to either party, students and industry, because to me the
initiative was not (yet) systematically planned and well monitored enough.
Perhaps, and I hope, this lacuna has been remedied since.
For your information, even though not required at the time, I kept all
reports of my 'stage' (internship) years. One of those is the account I
recently had published in *Design Issues* of my passage, in 1978, at the
Georges Pompidou Centre and at the defunct ISUC (Institut des sciences de
l'usage et de la conceptio).
Please do not forget to share your feedback at the end of your interesting
and quite original survey.
Good luck!
Francois
Montreal
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