Priestley College alumnus John Sutton has successfully progressed into the creative industry after securing a role as a Junior Designer at PDS Media, where he works with nationally recognised brands.

John studied BTEC Level 3 Graphic Design and Photography at Priestley College and is now developing his career at PDS Media, a creative agency that works with leading names including ASICS, Piccolino and Marco Pierre White.

Reflecting on his next steps after college, John said: “University was an option, but when this opportunity came up, I felt it was a great chance to hone my skills while learning from professionals and earning a wage.”

In his current role, John focuses primarily on the artwork side of projects for a range of clients.

Among the projects he is most proud of are a concertina dessert menu for the restaurant Juniper and a series of canvas lightboxes for ASICS stores. He is currently working on an afternoon tea menu for Cloud23 in Manchester.

John credits Priestley College with playing a crucial role in helping him secure the position at PDS, where he works under the guidance of Managing Director Alan Povey.

“This opportunity at PDS arose through the college’s connection with the company,” he said. “A teacher told me about the role, and I spoke with Alan. I completed some part-time work to prove myself and was then offered the job.”

He also highlighted how well the course prepared him for professional life.

“Priestley helped prepare me for the workplace through the client briefs we were given throughout the course,” he said.

John added that he particularly enjoys learning from experienced colleagues and the hands-on nature of the role, especially seeing designs through from concept to print.

PDS Managing Director Alan said: “John has settled in well and appears thoroughly prepared for working in the real world. At PDS, we enjoy creating opportunities for young people and seeing them thrive under the guidance of our talented team.”