8 August 2024
People are generally surprised to hear that, as a graphic designer, Nicole Thompson works in Defence.
“Sometimes people have set expectations of what is graphically produced in Defence, but we actually do a huge variety of assignments,” she said.
“Every job is different and I’ve had opportunities to work on some really rewarding projects.”
Mrs Thompson is a graphic design lead, working directly with clients as part of Defence’s Corporate Graphics Studio.
The studio is part of the Directorate of Communication, Change and Corporate Graphics within Security and Estate Group, and provides solutions for an array of design projects across the organisation.
The team consists of graphics experts specialising in the design of print and digital solutions, internal campaigns, strategic documents, public-facing collateral, and much more.
Mrs Thompson joined Defence Australian Public Service (APS) more than two years ago, looking for the next step in her extensive design career after almost 20 years in the industry.
Her family always had links to the ADF, with her father doing an apprenticeship in Defence, both her step-parents previously serving and her brother currently in the Air Force. One of the reasons her family initially moved from Lakes Entrance, Victoria, to Townsville was because of those links.
Now living in Canberra, Mrs Thompson is enjoying the freedom of choosing her own career pathway and the support to do it from Defence.
“One of the main reasons I wanted to work in the APS was the pathways to mentor younger designers, which I am very passionate about,” she said.
“I was also drawn to the variety of subject matter and communicating ‘government terminology to the taxpayer’ as per my work on the Integrated Investment Program.”
Working in such a diverse organisation, and with so many people across the ADF and APS, allows Mrs Thompson to challenge herself and learn about the extent that Defence contributes to society.
“I really enjoy working with subject-matter experts delivering strategic and innovative content, as opposed to small-business marketing and council-run public events I mostly worked on in previous civilian roles,” she said.
Some of her memorable moments have been working on designs for the Invictus and Warrior Games.
“These were completely different designs to my daily work and included the initial design concepts and then producing the publication highlighting the competitors and their biographies,” she said.
“It was incredibly rewarding knowing that the competitors, spectators and so many of the people involved in the Games kept these as keepsakes. To be able to contribute to such memorable occasions brings a real sense of achievement to my work.”
Find out more about jobs in Defence.
