Recruiting a Design Intern

A fresh perspective for your projects

Welcoming a design intern from L’École de design Nantes Atlantique means integrating a student in training who brings fresh perspectives, creative thinking and operational support to your design and innovation projects.

Why host a design intern?

Students are trained through real-world projects in collaboration with companies, institutions and organisations.

This learning approach encourages them to confront their ideas with real-world constraints and progressively develop:

a structured design methodology
a strong understanding of user needs
the ability to explore and formalise design solutions
a collaborative and agile working mindset

What a design intern can contribute

Depending on their level of study, interns may work on:

user research and analysis
concept exploration
design development and prototyping
product, spatial or digital design support
preparation of project deliverables

Internship details

Duration: 2 to 24 weeks depending on the programme and year of study
Compensation: mandatory for internships longer than 2 months
Objective: applied learning through real project contribution

How to host an intern? Consult the guide!

	Internship periods	Duration	Location
DN MADE - Year 1	april > may	2 to 4 weeks	France or abroad
DN MADE - Year 2	february > may	12 weeks	France or abroad
Master-level - Year 1	june > july	2 to 3 weeks	France or abroad
Master-level - Year 2	december > february	6 to 8 weeks	France or abroad
Master-level - Year 3 & 4	august > january	13 weeks to 6 months	Abroad
Master-level - Year 5	april > october	16 weeks to 6 months	France or abroad

Ready to recruit a design talent?

Our internship office supports companies throughout the recruitment process and helps identify the profiles best suited to your needs.

Get in touch with our team and move your projects forward with the energy and expertise of our students!

stage@lecolededesign.com
+33 (0)2 51 13 50 70

How to recruit a design intern?

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A school closely connected to the professional world

Throughout their studies, students work on projects with companies, local authorities and organisations through:

collaborative workshops
design sprints
foresight and innovation studies

These experiences help them develop a strong professional mindset and the ability to work effectively within real organisational contexts. Learn more.

How our students progress through internships

DN MADE (Bachelor level – 3 years)

A three-year programme in product, spatial or digital design, with progressive specialisation. Learn more.

1st year: observation internship

At the time of this first internship, students have already chosen their specialisation, giving them a solid foundation for their initial professional immersion.

This internship allows them to discover your organisation in depth, understand design professions and working methods, and bring a fresh analytical perspective adapted to your team’s needs.

2nd year: professional internship

Midway through the second year, students complete a 12-week internship within a professional organisation.

They take part in the daily life of your teams, observe working practices and begin to actively contribute to ongoing projects.

This internship is a key milestone in their training: it consolidates their skills, develops their professional mindset and allows them to explore how design is applied within your sector.

It also provides an opportunity to start building their professional network in preparation for their third-year work-study placement.

Master-level in Design (5-year degree)

A programme in design and innovation strategy, applied to contemporary challenges (digital, city, care, food, media, immersive design…). En savoir plus.

1st year: observation internship

At the time of this first internship, students have already chosen their specialisation, giving them a solid foundation for their initial professional immersion.

This internship allows them to discover your organisation in depth, understand design professions and working methods, and bring a fresh analytical perspective adapted to your team’s needs.

2nd year: specialisation internship

In the second year, students further develop their technical skills and strengthen their professional posture within their area of specialisation.

This internship enables them to integrate quickly into your teams, contribute to specific projects and bring an emerging perspective combining creativity and applied skills.

2nd year: professional internship

Midway through the second year, students complete a 12-week internship within a professional organisation.

They take part in daily team activities, observe working practices and begin to actively contribute to ongoing projects.

This internship is a key milestone in their training: it consolidates their skills, develops their professional mindset and allows them to explore how design is applied within your sector.

It is also an opportunity for them to begin building their professional network in preparation for their third-year work-study placement.

3rd year: specialisation internship

At this stage, students operate as junior designers capable of contributing across multiple phases of a project.

They collaborate with your teams, bring a professional and innovative perspective, and contribute directly to project deliverables.

This internship provides an opportunity to benefit from a more experienced profile capable of taking on concrete responsibilities within your projects.

4th year: advanced internship and increased responsibility

In the fourth year, students consolidate their expertise and adopt the posture of more experienced designers.

They take on high-value assignments, contribute to complex projects and work closely with your teams, acting as operational support while preparing for their final year of study.

5th year: pre-professional integration internship

The final internship is a real stepping stone into employment.

The junior designer manages a complete project, from defining the brief to technical design and feasibility analysis.

This internship highlights their skills in project management, creativity and professional practice.

Each year, around 45% of interns are recruited by their host company, demonstrating the strong potential you can identify and integrate into your teams.

Talent Days

L’École de design Nantes Atlantique regularly organises Talent Days, dedicated recruitment events where companies can meet students and young designers directly. Learn more.

Accreditations and recognition

L’École de design Nantes Atlantique relies on state-recognised degrees, RNCP registration and Qualiopi certification through its apprenticeship training centre, ensuring academic quality and professional relevance. Learn more.