Check out interior design jobs as social media craze helps the industry surge

WITH interest in interior design going mainstream thanks to a social media buzz, the “design economy” is booming.

The hashtag #InteriorDesign has amassed more than 40billion views on TikTok, with influencers making copying the latest trends accessible, even for those on a tight budget.

If you have a natural eye for style and have maths skills to boot, you could make a good interior designerGetty

This has helped a surge in the industry, with nearly a ten per cent rise in the number of interior designers last year.

The sector employs around 15,000 people as designers as well as more than a million people in support roles, such as construction and furnishings.

To become a designer you have to have a natural eye for style and be good at maths, as you will need to calculate everything from room dimensions to the cost of materials.

Entry routes range from apprenticeships to university courses.

Pay starts from £18,000 for a newly qualified designer and goes up to an average £50,000 for an experienced designer.

You will need to be flexible and offer weekend and evening appointments, but it is a creative and rewarding career.

Manchester-based commercial interior design studio Scene has launched a degree apprenticeship to encourage new talent.

Founder Courteney Kiely said: “We need to ensure we’re bringing fresh new talent into the industry, while creating opportunities for people from a more diverse background, to make the industry more inclusive.”

Interior designers Sashola Prestcote, and Stella Pozzi, both 48, are the founders of new tech platform interiornet.co.uk.

It matches homeowners or tenants with interior designers at an affordable price.

The pair launched the site to help young designers get a leg up and to make the sector more inclusive.

‘Emerging wave of interior enthusiasts’

Mum-of-three Sashola, from Hadley Wood, Herts, said: “An emerging wave of interior decor enthusiasts fuelled by Instagram, TikTok, virtual-shopping apps and interiors influencers are seeking to create their own enjoyable spaces.

“Customers can choose from a broad range of designers to find a professional they connect with and who understands their lived experience — be that race, gender, sexual orientation or socio-economic background.

“We want to democratise the industry and break down the monopoly created by established and expensive designers.”

Interior designers Sashola and Stella point to a wave of enthusiasm fuelled by social mediaSupplied

MAKE IT YOURS IN 2024

THREE out of four workers feel they haven’t reached their full career potential.

So to help you hit your work goals in 2024, careers coach Joanne Mallon shares her top tips . . . 

Careers coach Joanne Mallon shares her top tips for reaching your goals in 2024Supplied

TRY SOMETHING NEW: Making a change today is a gift to your future self. By stepping out of your regular routine, you’ll gain new perspectives about where you want your life to go.

START WITH WHAT’S GOING WELL: List your top five strengths and consider what you enjoy most about your current role and also what else you would like to learn. Learning that makes you happy is great for mental health.

GET AHEAD: The world is always changing so getting up to date will make you more valuable to employers. Think about the areas of your skill set that could benefit from being strengthened. Consider what’s next for your industry too.

MAKE A COMMITMENT: Set a definite date in your diary to take action, and tell people you’re close to what you intend to do. Get free tailored advice from a National Careers Adviser or find free and flexible training courses at tinyurl.com/yv8ey3b7.

SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS: Ask your workplace about opportunities for training and learning. There may be a budget to pay for courses or help with childcare costs while you learn.

LEAVING PARTIES

RISING job losses have sparked a new trend for “redundancy parties”.

Greeting cards retailer Moonpig has recorded almost 1,000 searches a month for cards marking job losses, with workers seeing being let go as a chance for new beginning.

Pals Charlotte Burr, 36, and Michelle Bibbington, 40, both from Leeds, had worked for a bank for 18 years before being made redundant.

Charlotte said: “We decided to make the most of a bad situation.

“We went to Butlin’s and threw a redundancy party with our friends to celebrate a chapter of our lives closing instead of being beaten down by the bad news.

“This is now a time in my life I will associate with positivity and fun rather than hardship.”

IT’S RIGHT COLD

AS freezing temperatures grip the UK, an employment lawyer has urged bosses and employees to read up on workers’ rights in cold weather.

Jayne Harrison, of Richard Nelson LLP, said: “There’s no law which states a specific temperature when people wouldn’t be expected to turn up for work.

“For those who have conditions that can be exacerbated in the cold such as Raynaud’s disease or arthritis, we’d encourage you to discuss working arrangements with your employer.”

Regulations suggest indoor workplaces have a minimum temperature of 16C, or 13C if work involves physical effort.

Jayne said: “Employers should also consider whether it is appropriate to allow a more weather-appropriate dress code.”

PROP UP THE BARS

UNLOCK a new career in the prison service.

His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service has launched a recruitment campaign to hire prison officers and operational support grade staff, who help with the day-to-day running of the jail.

SuppliedRebecca Harrington says the prison service is very different compared to what you see in films or on TV[/caption]

OSG recruits start on £25,000-plus, with prison officer recruits on £30,000-plus.

Tattooist-turned-prison worker Rebecca Harrington, 42, is one of HMP Aylesbury’s latest recruits and as an OSG.

She said: “There are a lot of preconceived ideas about what it’s like working in a prison based on what you see in films or on TV, but it’s very different in reality.

“A prison is a really interesting place to work, and you can gain lots of skills and knowledge.

“I can see myself staying here for a long time.”

You can find out more by visiting tinyurl.com/2p84fr97.