Above: Grant Johnson, owner of Curly Sprout Creative, Jillian Williams, freelance graphic designer and marketing consultant, and Marlene O’Connor, graphic designer at the Brattleboro Food Coop share stories and advice about entering the graphic design industry.
Art met industry at a recent Graphic Design Career Panel hosted for Brattleboro Union High School art students, where creativity and career exploration came together in a vibrant exchange of ideas, stories, and inspiration. The event connected emerging student artists with accomplished graphic design professionals from the local community—offering a behind-the-scenes look at what it really means to build a career in design.
From independent freelancers to agency designers and brand strategists, the panelists represented a wide range of career paths. Each offered a unique perspective on how design intersects with communication, marketing, technology, and community impact. Art teacher Braelyn Ingvoldstad, following a training on the local economy and workforce opportunities for students led by BDCC, utilized BDCC’s resources and employer connections to offer this glimpse into real world opportunities connected to her students’ artistic passions.
For many students, this was their first time engaging directly with professionals in the design field. They left the event with practical advice, renewed motivation, and a clearer understanding of how their artistic talents can translate into meaningful, sustainable careers in Southern Vermont.
About Pipelines & Pathways
BDCC’s Pipelines and Pathways Program (P3) provides career education within the four southeastern Vermont public high schools and the Windham Regional Career Center. P3 helps students develop their personalized learning plans (PLP) by providing work-based learning experiences that increase their knowledge of career opportunities and achieve their postsecondary goals. Students develop soft skills, financial literacy, knowledge about economic sectors and skills that are in-demand through hands-on informational interviews, work-based learning, and mentorships. Pipelines & Pathways is a BDCC Workforce Center of Excellence program based on SeVEDS strategies to increase the size and quality of the region’s workforce. For more information please visit: https://brattleborodevelopment.com/engaging-with-high-school-students/
P3 was originally launched as a five year pilot, thanks to historic investment from the Vermont Community Foundation and McClure Foundation, the Vermont Training Program, WCEDP Vermont Yankee closure funds, and municipal contributions to SeVEDS. In 2023, at the end of that pilot phase, P3 reached a major program milestone by commitments from the private sector. M&T Bank, whose support was matched by local employers G.S. Precision and C&S Wholesale Grocers joins funding partners McClure Foundation, the George W. Mergens Foundation, the Windham Regional Career Center, the West River Education District, and the Windham Southwest Supervisory Union, in supporting P3 across southeastern Vermont. Portions of the program also receive support through the Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities (WORC) program of the Northern Border Regional Commission.
