To mark his 30 years in business in Australia, renowned interior designer Thomas Hamel has announced a Graduate Mentorship Program; an intensive one-year opportunity for an up and coming interior designer to work and learn under his guidance in Sydney.
The inaugural mentorship program is driven by Thomas’ passion for the Australian design industry and his desire to invest in the next generation, helping the community continue to thrive. Through the program, Thomas is eager to offer budding designers the same opportunities he was afforded in his formative years in New York and Australia.
“I have been incredibly fortunate to have been given many great opportunities by Australian clients who trusted and believed in me from the start, and allowed me to take them on a journey where together we created their beautiful residences,” Thomas says. “I now want to truly give something back, and hopefully provide a leg up for other designers to thrive in our ever-growing design community in Australia.”
Offered annually to an interior design graduate with at least 12 months experience working in the design industry within Australia, the mentorship is designed to identify a candidate who demonstrates outstanding passion, achievement and the highest promise as a creative and innovative future force in the Australian design industry.
The immersive year in the Thomas Hamel & Associates studio in Surry Hills offers engagement in a variety of professional development and enrichment learning opportunities and working across the various teams within the multi-dimensional design firm. It is envisaged that the graduate will finish the program equipped and inspired to further the quality and professionalism of the Australian interior design industry.
Thomas began his own design journey in New York City where he worked at the world-renowned Parish-Hadley. It was here, under the guidance of Albert Hadley and his creative team, that Thomas honed his eye for great design and developed the underlying current of timelessness that is a common thread throughout his impressive career.
In 1991, when Thomas relocated to Sydney and founded his own business, he soon became a fixture in the local design community. Equipped with his US design experience and an eagerness to share, he offered something fresh and new in Australia and his style was soon championed by the interior design publications.
Inspired by travels around the world where he gathers inspiration and sources unique objects of interest, Thomas regularly combines various cultural influences in a fluid manner. He has coined “cross-pollination” and “intelligent editing” as driving forces behind his design aesthetic.
The successful applicant will receive a full-time contract for a maximum term of 12 months in the Sydney studio of Thomas Hamel & Associates, with mentoring and support from Thomas and his team. Only one graduate mentorship will be awarded per year, with the inaugural program running from March 2022 to February 2023. Applications close on 31 October, 2021 with the successful candidate notified by mid December.
