Discover how Phoebe Watts is turning an early passion for design into a professional pathway with NDA’s Interior Design courses, progressing from Diploma to Degree at just 18.
Starting her journey with the National Design Academy straight after leaving school, Phoebe Watts knew she wanted to pursue a creative career rather than follow a more traditional route. While working in the mortgage sector, her ambition to move into design remained clear, pushing her to take that first step into interior design.
Beginning with the Interior Design Diploma, Phoebe quickly found her footing, developing her skills and confidence as she progressed. Now continuing onto the degree, she’s building on those foundations and gaining a deeper understanding of both her design style and the industry.
Her journey highlights how taking that initial step early can open the door to long-term career development, even while balancing work and everyday life.
Read on to learn more about Phoebe’s journey so far, what she’s learned along the way, and where she hopes her design career will take her next.
Can you tell us a little about your background and what you were doing before joining the National Design Academy?
I began my journey with the National Design Academy at just 18 years old, I had recently completed my A-Levels and eager to secure a role within the interior design industry.
At the time, I was working in an office-based environment within mortgages while I was looking for opportunities to start my career in interiors.
After researching into interior design courses, I came across the NDA, this was perfect for me because I didn’t want to attend a university I liked being in my own environment and didn’t want to live away from home.
I enrolled onto the diploma and successfully completed the Diploma in Interior Design with the NDA.
I wanted to further develop my expertise and enhance my career, I then progressed to complete my degree with the National Design Academy. This for me was perfect because I could gain a qualification in my own home working remotely at my own pace.
What first sparked your interest in interior design?
I started to find my love for interiors when I left sixth form and I used to see rooms on social media platforms like Pinterest and instagram that had been interior designed and I fell in love with how the rooms would come together for the final outcome.
This made me start to look into this more and research into careers as an interior designer.
I loved the idea of creating all homes differently meaning every day in the industry would be different.
When did you realise this was the career path you wanted to follow?
When I was completing my degree I undertook part time work. This hands on experience in a high end retail business made me really love the job and love the products that are associated with the interiors.
I started to broaden my knowledge of suppliers and product and finishes for products.
Then, I completed work experience in an interior design studio where I would attend homes, create mood boards, meet the clients, design the homes communicate with suppliers.
This made me absolutely love this even more and could see myself progressing further, I loved the variety the job offered and how you can see the progress from start to finish.
Through me completing this online this enabled me to be able to work part time alongside my degree to gain the hands on experience aswell as the qualification, which benefits today’s students.
What made you choose to study with the National Design Academy?
I had regular phone calls and used social media to research the NDA. Researching into start dates, time the course would take being equivalent to a degree at a university campus.
The holiday allowance to allow you to have a break from your studies. The NDA being accredited by De Montfort University, Leicester (DMU) was the final thing that made me be like this is perfect. Everything just seemed easy and made lots of sense.
Tell us about your journey with the NDA so far. Have you enjoyed your experience?
I have loved my experience at the NDA the support from my tutor was really good and was always there to support me with any questions I had.
It was even better because I didn’t have to attend a university which was exactly what I wanted for my career.
Without the NDA, what I wanted out of my career wouldn’t of been achievable
You've shown real growth across your modules - what do you feel has helped you improve the most?
Is there a project or module you're especially proud of?
I was really proud of my module 11, I based this on a holiday home located in Wales. I found my work had developed through all the other modules that I completed and this module really showed off well all the skills I had learnt from mood boards, presentation and technical drawings.
How do you balance your studies with other commitments?
Through my degree I worked part time and the other time I would complete my studies this worked well and also enabled me still to go to the gym and do things which I loved like going shopping and going holidays.
I created a good work life balance completing my work in the days and having the evenings to do what I wanted.
How has the course influenced your confidence or creative approach?
The course and helped me realise that everything is possible and when sometimes being given the course content you would feel like wow is this achievable in 3 months time you would of completed it and this just made me always remember anything is possible if you put your mind to it.
What are your plans for the future once you complete your qualification?
My plans for the future are to gain a role into a interior design studios where I will be able to put all my skills learnt at the National Design Academy to real life situations and create beautiful schemes and support for clients.
Thank you to Phoebe for submitting her student spotlight! You can find her instagram by clicking the button below.
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