Trevor is
looking for a
web developement apprenticeship
Who am I?
I'm a freelance designer/product person (manager, researcher, strategist) with experience leading digital product teams, running numerous user research programmes, and designing a number of websites, apps, and other digital products. For more information about my current work, check out this link.
I've built a successful freelance practice over the last few years, and now my focus has shifted from establishing myself to answering the following questions:
- 1. How can I collaborate more with other freelancers and makers, and cultivate an abundance mindset in my work?
- 2. How can I introduce more creativity and artistry to my work?
Why?
Over the years, I've been inspired by the work of several exceptional web designers and developers who have used the canvas of the website - in some ways very constrained, and in others very open-ended - and created beautiful experiences. Seeing their work inspires me to follow in their footsteps and develop my skillset in web development, as well as dive further into web design. I'm inspired by the "creative technologist" path, one where I design and build ideas, and I believe working on websites is a good step in that direction.
In the past, I've grown in leaps and bounds when working with someone at the top of their field, and while I'm no longer early in my career, I don't want to ever stop putting myself in challenging positions to learn. Therefore, this "apprenticeship" model feels like the right format for taking my next step and trying something (somewhat) new.
What is my proposal?
I'm looking to work as a part-time (10-20 hours/week) apprentice under an expercienced web developer (or small agency) starting early 2025, working alongside them on real projects and making real contributions. While I'm also interested in building with no-code tools (I've built a few simple Webflow sites in the past), I'm specifically interested in working in code.
I learn best by doing, and I'd hope to work closely together on projects and learn through pairing sessions, code reviews, etc. with a focus on improving my web development skills (so I'd work mostly in a development, rather than design, capacity). Ideally, you'd be based in the Amsterdam / Randstad area of the Netherlands, so we can work together in person occasionally, but it's not a strict requirement for me.
To get a sense of my current skill level in design, reach out or check out some sample work here. To get a sense of my current skill level in web development, take a peek under the hood anywhere on trevorhinkle.com, including this page. I built this site with Astro, Tailwind, and a sprinkle of simple Javascript. I'm not a complete beginner, but I still have a lot to learn!
I'm not a believer in unpaid work, but recognizing the amazing learning opportunity this would give me, I would propose being paid the current Dutch minimum wage, €10.22/hour, for this apprenticeship, at least initially.
My hope is that any apprenticeship is full of mutual knowledge sharing. I believe my experience running a number of product teams, large-scale web experimentation programmes, executing numerous user research studies, and advising several startup CEOs on product/design give me a lot of experience to share. My work has also historically focused on climate-tech organisations, and I'm happy to help anyone interested in breaking into that field position themselves to do so.
Let's work together!
Any and all of this proposal is up for debate - by sharing this page, I'm hoping to meet someone (or small agency) who I can have fun going on a learning journey together with.
If you're interested, please reach out at trevor@lighthouse-studio.co.
PS: Some designers and web developers I admire
To help give a bit of a sense of who and what inspires me, I wanted to share some deisgners and developers I admire - if you're reading this, are a developer, see your name on this list, and are interested in working together, please reach out!
Thanks for reading ❤️
Trevor Hinkle
Amsterdam
October 2024