Introduction
The Cowrywise Ambassadors Career Series 2025 event has been an inspiring journey, bringing together seasoned professionals to guide young talents on various career paths. In this series, we had seven quality career professionals, with experience across global organizations like Amazon, Cowrywise, Deloitte, Ernst and Young, Google, KPMG, Microsoft, Netflix, PwC, Spotify, and more, facilitating different sessions on the following career track: Accounting/Finance, Data Analytics, Design, Human Resources, Marketing, Product Management, and Software Engineering.
The Starting a Career in Design session was led by Favour ADENIYI, a Product Designer at Microsoft.
Favour’s deep expertise, passion for design, and unwavering willingness to teach made this session an invaluable experience for the over 500 attendees, from aspiring designers, entry-level designers, mid-level and experienced design professionals, helping them understand the key fundamentals of starting a design career and thriving in the industry.
Why Favour Adeniyi’s Session Mattered
We’ve always known that design is more than just aesthetics, it’s about solving real-world problems through creativity, with a mix of business-oriented mindset and user-centered thinking.
It’s quite evident that in the present digital economy, careers in design are highly sought after, spanning fields such as Product Design, UI/UX, Brand Design, Motion Design, and more, and the high turnout in attendance and engagement levels reflected the growing interest in this field.
Key Takeaways from the Session
Favour Adeniyi shared her personal journey into design, from how she started as a Fashion Designer at her parents’ back in Nigeria. She moved to the US, and out of curiosity stumbled on UX designs. She started to pay so much attention to this newly found path, spending so much time learning, reading case studies, and working on projects. This commitment got her an internship opportunity at Mastercard (2021), and later at Microsoft (2022), where she got a full-time return offer after graduation (2023 til date).
Favour’s story was particularly encouraging to the attendees, as it emphasizes that no matter where one starts, curiosity, continuous learning, and persistence are key to building a successful career.
Here are some of the critical insights from her session:
- Building a Strong Foundation: Understanding design principles, problem-solving, and user experience are crucial first steps. She encouraged attendees to pay so much attention and invest as much in their design foundation.
- Essential Tools & Skills: Favour highlighted tools like Figma, Adobe XD, and Sketch, as well as soft skills like communication, collaboration, and critical thinking, amongst others.
- Portfolio Development: She emphasized the importance of creating real-world projects to showcase skills and attract opportunities, especially for those who are looking to level up from their current career stage.
- Breaking into the Industry: As they’ve always been preached by different career professionals and career coaches, Favour buttressed how important networking, internships, and personal projects are essential steps to building solid careers and getting access to quality opportunities.
Participant Reactions & Engagement
The session was highly interactive, with attendees engaging in a live Question and Answer session, seeking Favour’s guidance on topics like career transitions, specialization, and standing out in the job market. One participant shared:
“This session gave me so much clarity! I was unsure about how to start, but Favour broke everything down in a way that made it feel achievable.”
Another attendee noted:
“Hearing directly from a Microsoft designer was priceless. Her journey was relatable, and her advice was practical and actionable.”
The Lasting Impact
Beyond the live session, the impact of Favour’s insights will continue to resonate, we believe. Many attendees have expressed a renewed interest in design and have already begun exploring design courses, building portfolios, and joining design communities. Additionally, there has been increased interest in the Design team of the Cowrywise Ambassadors’ Skill-Based Learning Program, where ambassadors can gain hands-on experience in various career tracks, including Design, Data Analytics, Product Management, and Software Engineering.
What’s Next?
If you missed this session, you can still watch the replay to gain the same valuable insights that many attendees benefited from. Additionally, for those looking to take their learning further, applications for the Skill-Based Learning Program will soon be open to all Cowrywise Campus Ambassadors. This initiative will provide structured training, mentorship, and hands-on projects to help participants solidify their skills and prepare for real-world opportunities.
Conclusion
The “Starting a Career in Design” session with Favour Adeniyi was particularly helpful in equipping participants with the knowledge and confidence to take meaningful steps in their design careers.
A huge thank you to Favour for sharing her time, experience, and insights with the community. 👏
