What it's like to work at Disney

Matt is a Product Design Engineering student at LJMU and was chosen as one of eight interns from more than 1,000 applicants hoping to work at Disney. He is based within the Disney Consumer Products department in the Homeware, Accessories and Footwear team where he manages a portfolio of licensees that develop Disney, Star Wars and Marvel products for the market.

What does your day-to-day look like?

“I help the licensee companies develop new products that comply with regulations and also ensure that they stay true to any of the Disney universes that the characters or artwork they use come from. I receive prototypes that the licensees have produced to make sure the manufacturing has been done to a high standard and that the product complies with the approved concept. These samples can then be signed off for production and then distribution.”

What exciting new products are you working on? Can you let us in on some top secrets?

“Any high level collaboration or project that I have been lucky enough to be involved in or received information about is strictly confidential.”

Although working for Disney was not something he ever considered before seeing the internship advertised, Matt has enjoyed the opportunity to work for such a prestigious company and is enjoying living in London. But what are his future plans?

“I aspire to work for or own a forward-thinking design consultancy or business that pushes sustainability forward and into the lives of everyone without them even having to think about it. The idea of harnessing society’s habits and the consumer mindset to save the world is a very powerful thing in my mind, and I hope to set an example of what product development and successful business can achieve while also having a positive environmental impact.”

How did you get interested in product design engineering?

“Being creative has been something that I have loved since an early age, from building endless Lego sets, to making my first rough wooden photo frame in school, to developing an ultrasonic kitchen sink, it is something that excites and enthrals me. The idea, instilled in me by my parents, that if I can think of it, then I can do it, has really pushed me to always question: why can’t things be done a better way? Why doesn’t the sink do the washing for you? Product design engineering allows me to play, using all the resources that I need, and to push the boundaries.”

So what key skills do you think a person would need if they wanted to get into product design?

“The most important thing I can think of is passion. If you don’t love what you’re doing then look for something that you do love. Creativity is also a key skill, if you love to be creative and think outside the box then product design could be an excellent and fulfilling thing for you to get into.”

If you think these attributes describe you, why not find out what studying product design engineering entails?