Dear Jacobs Recruitment Team,

I'm a current design student at the University of Sydney, seeking to expand my experience. My design journey has taken me from shaping physical spaces to crafting digital experiences—and it’s been anything but linear. I studied Architecture for three years, designed and built a van into a full-time home (designing a functional living space in under 8 square meters is a design challenge like no other!), coded my first website from scratch (learning HTML and CSS through YouTube tutorials!), picked up freelance graphic projects, and now I’m studying Interaction Design - combining all these experiences into my own creative process.

I approach design the same way I approach life - with passion and excitement, openness, curiosity, and a bold attitude.

I’ve always been the kind of person who gets deeply absorbed in whatever I do. From my huge passion for horse riding as a kid (10-year-old me was very committed to convincing my parents to move so we could have horses in the backyard!), to my gliding adventure as a teenager (waking up at 4 a.m. all summer just to spend the day at the airfield), to my current love for rock climbing - when something captures my attention, I give it my all. Design is no different. When I start a project, I dive in completely, driven by curiosity and a strong desire to excel.

When I’m designing, I’m always keen to explore, stay open, connect with people, and understand different perspectives - an approach shaped by traveling from a young age. Visiting several continents, first with my family and later on my own, sparked my curiosity about the world and helped me develop a deep sense of empathy and observation. I believe these qualities are key when creating digital products and brands with people and for people - the ability to observe and understand the market, the customers, the environment. And those are exactly the kinds of projects I believe I'd have a chance to work on over the course of the internship at Jacobs - solutions for real-world challenges aimed to connect people.

I’m not afraid to take bold moves and leaps in my projects - the same way I’ve embraced new experiences in life. Whether it’s picking up a new passion, going on an adventure, or moving across the world to seek new challenges - as I did when I moved to the UK for my undergraduate degree, and all the way to Australia for my Master’s. That same mindset shapes my design approach and work ethic: I’m drawn to unexpected paths, experimental ideas, and bold solutions. Jacobs strikes me to truly share and believe in those same values - bringing thinkers and doers, visionaries ready to make changes exploring together.

Both sports and academia have taught me more than just resilience or expertise - it’s not just about the challenge or the knowledge, but also about teamwork, trust, and a sense of community. That’s what I love most about the climbing world: people cheering each other on, sharing advice, and building real connections. It’s also what I’ve found at university, and what I hope to find in a creative team and a company like yours - where everyone brings something different to the table, and we push each other to do great work.

My academic background taught me how to balance structure with experimentation and use design tools and methods with purpose. At the same time, my life experiences have shaped me into a bold, curious, and confident designer and thinker. I ground my thinking in research and testing, but I also embrace creative risk and play. I’m now ready to bring all of this energy into the professional world and gain hands-on experience as I begin my career. And, whether through hands-on projects, mentorship, or collaborative learning, the opportunity to grow alongside industry leaders while working on meaningful solutions feels like the right next step for me. I’d love to contribute my creativity, user-first mindset, and visual storytelling skills to your multidisciplinary teams at Jacobs.

I currently hold a valid Student (subclass 500) visa and I am eligible to and intending to apply for a Temporary Graduate visa after my graduation to continue contributing to the Australian design industry. I’m based in Sydney and available for in-office work.

Thank you for considering my application - I’d love the opportunity to contribute to and learn from your team - not just through design, but through the energy, perspective, and passion I bring to everything I do.

I’d be more than happy to connect!

Warm regards,

Dominika Struminska

struminska.dominika@gmail.com

0425 428 148

struminska.online