“Where should we begin?” says 1 Granary founder Olya Kuryshchuk when asked about the issues plaguing young designers this year. Our current global health crisis is limiting career opportunities for young people around the world, potentially stunting the careers of an entire generation. Kuryshchuk rattles off a long list of new graduates’ most salient concerns: “fear of uncertainty and fear of being irrelevant, expired visas, lack of jobs, or any other freelance opportunities, absence of community support, poor mental health, money, money, money.”
To combat the difficult job market, 1 Granary has launched an extensive database of new talents called “Designers to Hire.” The list is populated by recent-ish grads from universities around the world, representing a wide range of aesthetics, metiers, and viewpoints. “We aimed for a truly diverse selection of work, not only in terms of creators but also references and skill sets,” says Kuryshchuk. “We looked at the depth and quality of research, the designer’s ability to develop their initial ideas and concepts into a final product, story telling, visual communication and technical skills, innovation, cultural relevance—all those skills that are making these designers employable individuals.”