We had Project Trident students at Gallery for over a decade, vying with The Animal Shelter as the most popular place a 16 year old wanted to spend their designated two weeks in the working world. With a lot of the Gallery team caught up having kids of our own and the whole homeworking thing, it’s meant that it’s been a while since we’ve been able to inspire young minds in this way. With a milestone 20th Birthday coming up, we tracked down some of our Gallery alumni to see what they’ve been doing since we set them out on interviews and coffee runs…
We managed to track down some on-island and caught up with others around the world. We did four Trident placements a year and didn’t retain all our feedback sheets but we managed to get hold of quite a few! Over the next four pages we learn about their lives and get a few bits of feedback. What a creative, inspiring and worldly bunch they’ve become. Go team!
Above: Left to Right
2007: Tamsin Raine, Ocean Hero
Tasmin pursued a career in communications, driven by a passion for impactful storytelling. Her journey led her to study Advertising and Marketing in the UK while working at an award-winning integrated advertising agency, managing large accounts for brands like Mentos and Smint during the rise of social media. In 2018, a love for the ocean and expertise in communication found harmony through a partnership with Matt Porteous, a talented photographer who shares her passion for the sea. Recognising the ocean’s communication problem, they co-founded Ocean Culture Life, a global storytelling community and non-profit organisation. The aim is to give a voice to our most undervalued asset – the ocean.
2006: Anna Hafsteinsson, Destination Marketing
Anna was one of the OG Gallery trident students and was also lucky enough to help out with the fashion pages for a couple of years before starting Uni. Now she works on the marketing team at Visit Jersey, planning and creating website content, newsletters and supporting with campaign activity to inspire travellers to put Jersey on their ‘must visit’ list.
2012: Tessa Smith, Teacher
Tessa went to the University of Reading and studied Primary Education and English before qualifying as a teacher. After a ski season in Alpe d’Huez, she travelled and lived in New Zealand for almost a year. On returning to Jersey, she started teaching in the Primary setting. She recently married and is currently on Maternity leave after having a son, Harley. She will be joining Les Quenevais School as an Inclusion Teacher this September.
Gallery Memory: I was very keen and excited to be placed at Gallery so I thought it would be a great idea to bring a dictionary with me. When I got there, I realised I had picked up an English to French dictionary… I kept it hidden in my bag because I was embarrassed.
2016: Rachel Egerton, Doctor
Rachel went to university in Southampton to study medicine and graduated this year. As part of her training she got to do three months of placement in Sydney, Australia, specialising in psychiatry and oncology. Now back in the UK and ready to work, she is about to start work as an A&E doctor in Manchester.
Gallery Memory: We went to a farm, I think for a photo, and I definitely wasn’t wearing mud-appropriate shoes. My nice shoes ended up in the washing machine at the end of the day.
2010: Lauren Rhodes, Video Producer
Inspired by her time with Gallery, Lauren studied Journalism and made it her career path. After university she worked with Channel TV and spent almost five years gaining knowledge and skills, but ‘local news only had so much creativity to it!’. She progressed to working with local video production company SlingShot films where she learnt ‘true creativity’. Following the birth of her daughter, she fused her work with being a mum and set up on her own as The Creative Club, specialising in producing social media video content. She also now works as Creative Director and co-owner at Birthable; a pre and post natal fitness and education company.
Gallery Memory: I remember being painfully shy and intimidated because everyone was so cool haha! I think I barely spoke and I would write an article and then take about 20 minutes extra to build up the courage to tell one of the team members I’d finished the task!! Sometimes you think a trident student isn’t really getting anything out of the placement when they are quiet but I can’t describe how much I was actually taking in and valued being there and how much it inspired me to what I’ve gone on to do! Thankfully I’ve come out of my shell now – the experiences out of your comfort zone are the most important lessons!
2007: Luc Pallot, Design Director
Luc graduated with a degree in Graphic Design from UWE and returned to Jersey. He had a few stints working for internet retail companies and set up the excellent ‘Crapaud Wear’, joined a Ska Punk Band and finally found his feet at a design agency. In 2020 he left his job, got married in his garden and went on a long honeymoon around the world during the pandemic. Having returned, he’s now Head of Design at Snap Design & Digital. He and his wife have also had a baby! He says “life is great, if a little exhausting”.
Gallery Memory: I learnt that you don’t pack 20 boxes of magazines for delivery into your 1989 Daihatsu Charade, you’ll barely make it over speed bumps!
2010: Barnaby de la Cloche, Photographer
Barny is a photographer. We caught up with him in Nara, Japan. He loves exploring new places and photographing the life and cultures he discovers, pushing his limits to improve skills and see more of the world. He strives to inspire people and encourage them to keep moving. As much as he loves being on the move, he does admit to missing “the rock, my family and friends, the nature of the island, and the fresh Atlantic air that greets our lungs as the airplane door opens”.
Gallery Memory: It was an incredible experience that helped me on my journey as a photographer, giving me insight into the world of media. I will always remember the friendly team and the awesome opportunities that came with my experience. Best classroom of 2010.
2014: Evie Howell, Trainee Solicitor
Evie studied Law at the University of Liverpool and then completed her LPC with the University of Law online. In between studies, she worked at the Ommaroo Hotel, flexing her creative side whilst working on their social media and marketing. She’s done a lot of travelling over the past 10 years, spending time in Central America, South East Asia, Africa and (this summer) South America; “I love immersing myself in different cultures and getting outside of my comfort zone”. Evie was a bursary student at Ogier and has now been accepted onto their trainee solicitor programme and is starting this September.
Gallery Memory: I got to interview Tom Daley!
2014: Phoebe Mae Johnson, Japan Fan and Media Logistics
After Pheobe spent time with us at Gallery, she “fluctuated a lot” around what she wanted to do. One thing that remained constant was a desire to move to the UK and another to study Japanese. Last year she managed to achieve both, heading on the trip of a lifetime to study in Tokyo for three weeks (and one day hopes to live there). Back in the UK she has now moved to a small but beautiful village in Lincolnshire where she lives with her fiancé and a cat. She’s having fun working in media logistics and is looking forward to the future.
2014: Sofia Skiming, Bookseller
Sofia is the children’s bookseller for Waterstones Kingston, having fallen into bookselling by accident. She originally wanted to go into something to do with publishing or writing, but graduating from university in 2020 made job-hunting “a nightmare”. She applied to Waterstones Jersey to cover her through to Christmas, but ended up loving it so much that she never left; “I love talking about what I love all day, curating the perfect space, and working with passionate, like-minded people. Children’s bookselling is especially rewarding. I love recommending books to young people, knowing that I might be one day inspiring a life-long passion”. She made the decision to move to Greater London about a year ago, but does miss Jersey a lot, especially the sea: “I miss sea-swimming like you’d miss a limb. I do actually think I get withdrawal symptoms”!
Gallery Memory: I remember applying for the placement, and then convincing myself I wouldn’t get it so successfully that I forgot I’d applied, so that when the news came that I’d be doing my Trident at Gallery I was completely shocked. The Trident scheme is so important, providing that essential work experience for young people looking to work in industries such as journalism and publishing where it is so competitive to land an internship or entry-level role.
2015: Chloe Coxshall, Zoologist
Chloe completed an undergraduate degree and Masters degree in Zoology at Bangor University, with a particular interest in primates and animal behaviour. She is currently conducting a PhD at Imperial College London, focusing on same-sex sexual behaviour in primates. Her research involves answering the questions of why this behaviour has evolved through behavioural observations of rhesus macaques in Puerto Rico, together with an abundance of data analysis. Wowzas! When she’s not researching monkeys, she enjoys pole fitness and crochet as her creative outlets!
2014: Louis Donohoe, Language Teacher
Louis works in Japan as an Assistant Language Teacher. He went to Japan two years ago as part of the JET Programme and is based in Betsukai Town. The main produce there is milk, and cows outnumber people 7:1! Surprisingly, Jersey cows are a popular breed there and Jersey milk is loved by the locals. Louis hopes to see Jersey Royals become a part of Japan’s agricultural production in the future!
Gallery Memory: Doing my trident experience for Gallery was a dream come true for an aspiring writer. The team was incredibly welcoming and I loved the relaxed atmosphere of the office. I was given a great amount of freedom when writing and designing features for the magazine. I still have copies at home, sometimes I flick through them to reminisce or read about Britain’s greatest bank robbers and the best ski resorts in the world. Aside from writing stories, I was also the designated Cafe Jac runner (a role that I doubt was unique to my trident experience). But, I was happy to get a a fresh brew everyday from the Gallery coffee fund, otherwise known as Ben’s wallet. I am very thankful for Gallery and the experience that I had on trident.
2015: Stephen Arthur, Department of Energy
After finishing school, Stephen went on to study history at the University of Exeter. While he was there I got accepted onto the Civil Service Fast Stream, which is the UK Government’s graduate programme. This opportunity has allowed Stephen to work on a really diverse range of things across government. He’s currently living in London working as a Finance Business Partner for the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero. In this role he gets to support teams in delivering interesting policy, including the UK’s involvement in the COP climate conferences, as well as initiatives around nuclear power and decommissioning.
Gallery Memory: One distinct memory I do have from my Project Trident placement at Gallery was being asked to write a bio, with a photo, at the end of the week. I choose to just take a selfie at my desk rather than actually just finding a good photo of myself which, on reflection, is both incredibly funny and also lazy of me (and I have ensured not to make the same mistake twice!)
