Jude Kamal

Why did you choose to attend OCAD U?

 OCAD was the only school that truly spoke to me when I was looking for schools to attend, I just felt like I belonged there.

Please briefly describe your current job / practice.

Currently, I wear many different hats, I have started my own design practice called By Three Design with a friend of mine, Charlotte Rauchberger, from OCAD. We get to design what we're passionate for; interiors, graphics and branding. Also I teach art and taekwondo to kids, which I find soulful because I get so inspired by them. My days are pretty hectic, but that's how I like them!

How did you get started in your career?

I started off in many different places, working for people that didn't have the same alignment as me, and that really wasn't what I was planning to do with my life. So I thought of what scared me the most, and that was starting my own business. I ignored the idea, then thought again, ignored it, then thought about it again and again. At that point I decided to do that thing that scared me the most, and I am doing it. I can't stand the idea of working for someone else, and it drives me insane to know that I am building someone else's dream rather than my own. It wasn't easy, I had to work hard to establish a good foundation. I like listening to people's passion and interests so one thing lead to another and I became involved with amazing people. But mainly I would say, once you step out of your comfort zone everything unfolds in crazy ways.

Did you volunteer or work in your field while you were a student?

During my years in OCAD I did a couple of internships in interior and architecture firms, as well as volunteered for the Toronto General Hospital as a way to give back to my community.

What were your policies regarding internships, volunteering, and paid work?

Personally, I do not think students should work for free, even though I did it once at an interior design firm I interned at. Students have a lot of stress already from school, their daily lives, probably their part time jobs and expenses they have, the last thing they need is an unpaid internship that takes up a lot of their time for nothing in return. Yes, you learn, but it is not worth it.

What do you enjoy most about your work? What is the most challenging aspect of your work?

That everyday is different, and that means everyday is a new learning experience. I like challenging work because the moment you do it and get a project done, you look back and say wow I can't believe I did it! That's such a great feeling. 

What skills or relationships developed at OCAD U helped you participate in your field? Is there anything you would have done differently?

Mainly my profs, I was a very talkative and active student in all of my classes, so the profs remember me pretty well. I always was curious and eager to see what they did and how they did things, and so I asked tons of questions. My profs were my mentors and I loved all of them - they are amazing. I would not change one thing or do anything differently than I had already done.

What are the key responsibilities you maintain for your practice? 

First off, without having a passion for what you do, you will get nowhere. Passion motivates you to research to find more information about what you're passionate about, and it definitely brings you a step closer to where you are meant to be. I do believe that passion without hard work is useless, so you need to always stay on the look out for industry news and new innovative ideas. For By Three Design I have to always be in the know of great designs, to be aware of what is happening in the design world, and surprisingly I must always meet new people. If projects don't come to us, we go out there and try to get them.

What are your personal and professional goals for the coming years?

My big goal is get to design something that positively impacts our world. I would like to get my business, By Three Design, to grow and to hopefully be able to direct all my energies towards it.