A duo of young talent has joined the product development team at kitchen and bathroom lighting specialist Sensio.

Pictured left to right: Weichen Zhao and Ieuan Hale have joined the team from the University of Leeds and the University of Huddersfield, respectively

Ieuan Hale and Weichen Zhao have joined the team from the University of Huddersfield and the University of Leeds, respectively, as part of their degree courses in Product Design.

The one-year industrial placements form part of their four year degree programmes and will provide them with a practical experience which complements the curriculum of their courses.

Sponsored Video

Lauren Goodbrand of Kitchens International on winning the Kbsa Concept Designer Award 2024

Speaking about the appointments technical director of Sensio Dr Fariz Khellaf said: “Sensio has a history of supporting emerging talent from our local universities and we’re very fortunate in Yorkshire to have some outstanding faculties which offer renowned degree courses in product design.

“By offering these young people the opportunity to join us is a win-win for both sides.

“We’re able to offer them the chance to get their teeth stuck into live projects, working with and learning from our existing team of product designers and engineers and they bring with them enthusiasm to learn, fresh ideas, and the potential to be the next genearation of talent that joins the industry when they graduate.

“Our in-house product development team has grown considerably since I joined the business three and half years ago which is testament to our commitment to offering design righted products and innovative solutions to our customers.

“We’re committed to investing in new technology, new ideas and therefore also in the team, which is why we want to bring the best of this emerging young talent into our business and support them in their professional development.”

Student Ieuan Hale commented: “Gaining hands on experience in industry is invaluable in practical degrees like Product Design and will help us enormously in our final year of university when everything we’ve learnt over the last three years all comes together.”

Weichen Zhao added: “We’re learning from a team of experienced designers and have the opportunity to work on live projects which is really exciting.

“Having a years’ industry experience under my belt when I come to looking for my next step after graduating gives me a huge advantage in this field.”