Unlike many students in the Center for Digital Engagement Clinic, Brian Kinsley is already steady on the path of breaking into the tech industry in Ann Arbor. After finishing up Washtenaw Community College’s Design and Development program, he had many offers for various short-term assignments and already had a significant amount of experience in the field. On the side, he also runs a profitable bike shop in Ann Arbor while searching for full-time employment.
Kinsley has been highly proactive in his pursuits, attending every networking event he can. He remarks of the job search, however, “If you don’t already work in the tech industry or are currently a tech student, you ain’t getting that job in Ann Arbor,” noting the challenges of breaking into a saturated market.
At the 2019 Student TechWalk, Brian met Bud Gibson, the Director of the Center for Digital Engagement, at a speed-networking event. Although he had heard of the CDE Clinic before, he was unaware it was open to non-EMU students. After telling Bud his life story, Brian was eager to apply to the clinic. He was admitted and has since been paired with Shopwindow.io, where he works developing customer experience solutions. Kinsley is one of 5 WCC students and alumni participating in the 2019 Summer Clinic.
Kinsley credits the clinic for providing additional networking and support for him in his journey.
Brian Kinsley is a tenacious freelance UX Designer, familiar with OmniGraffle, Pencil Project and Blasamiq for site diagramming,site deconstruction and wireframeing. He’s taken coursework in and obtained excellent marks in two different User Testing, UX Research and UI Design and completed several projects, including two different Responsive Websites; Intrigue Escape Games, including two wireframes and South Rockwood United Methodist Church, also involving multiple wireframes and full-color mock-ups. He can be contacted for future collaborations at:
Twitter: @brianjkinsley
LinkedIn: LinkedIn.com/in/brianjkinsley
Website/ Portfolio: brianjkinsley.com