From UX/UI Student to Intern at Pàu

My name is Lene Dieltiens and I’m currently studying UX/UI Design at AP Hogeschool Antwerpen. During my studies, I became increasingly interested in how digital products are created and how design shapes the way people experience technology.

When it was time to look for an internship, I wanted to find a place where I could not only work on real projects, but also learn from people who deal with digital products, design and technology every day. That’s how I ended up at Pàu, a digital agency in Antwerp where strategy, design and development come together.

In this blog post, I’ll share how my interest in UX/UI design started, why I chose to do my internship at Pàu, and what it’s like to work here as a UX/UI design intern.

Why I chose UX/UI design

My interest in design actually started quite early. As a child, I was always drawing or working on creative projects. At school, my teacher noticed that I often spent more time on the visual side of assignments than strictly necessary. That curiosity and creativity eventually led me to explore design more seriously.

Later on, I chose to study graphic design, where I learned how to translate visual ideas into concrete designs using different tools and techniques. During those studies, I was introduced to the field of UX/UI design.

What immediately caught my attention was that UX/UI design goes beyond how something looks. It’s not only about visual design, but also about how people interact with digital products and how intuitive those experiences are. Questions like: how does someone navigate through a website? Where do users get stuck? And how can design help make that experience clearer and easier?

During my studies at AP Hogeschool Antwerpen, I had the opportunity to dive deeper into topics such as user research, wireframing, prototyping and usability testing. That helped me understand how design contributes to building meaningful and user-friendly digital products.

For me, UX/UI design combines two things I really enjoy: creativity and problem-solving. That combination is exactly what makes the field so interesting to explore.

Why I chose to do my internship at Pàu

When it was time to look for an internship, I knew I wanted to work in an environment where UX/UI design is part of real digital projects. During your studies, many assignments are fictional or limited to a classroom setting. I was curious to see how design decisions are made when working on real products for real users.

During my search, I came across Pàu, a digital agency based in Antwerp that helps organisations design and build digital products and services. What immediately stood out to me was the way strategy, design and development are brought together within one team.

That approach really appealed to me because UX/UI design works best when it’s closely connected to the broader process of building digital products. Design isn’t just about visuals. It’s also about understanding the context of a product, working together with developers and thinking about how people will actually use the final result.

During the first conversations with the team, I also got the feeling that there was a lot of room to learn. As an intern, you’re not just given tasks. You’re also invited to observe meetings, ask questions and understand the thinking behind certain design decisions.

That combination of hands-on experience, collaboration and learning from experienced professionals made Pàu the right place for me to start my internship.

What my internship at a digital agency looks like in practice

Doing an internship at a digital agency like Pàu gives you a very different perspective on UX/UI design compared to what you experience in the classroom. During my studies, most projects were individual assignments or group projects within a small team. At Pàu, you see how digital products are created through collaboration between people with different expertise.

One of the first things I noticed is how important teamwork is. Designers, developers, project managers and strategists all work closely together to shape digital solutions for clients. As an intern, you get the chance to observe that collaboration and gradually become part of it yourself.

My days usually consist of a mix of activities. Sometimes I work on design tasks, such as exploring screen layouts or improving parts of a user flow. At other moments, I join meetings or project discussions where the team reflects on how a digital product can evolve further.

What I find particularly interesting is that UX/UI design is never considered in isolation. A design decision isn’t only about how something looks, but also about how it works for users and how it fits within the larger context of the product.

There’s also a lot of room to ask questions and receive feedback. Being able to learn from people with more experience helps you understand how designers approach problems and make design choices.

That combination of working on real projects, collaborating with different experts and constantly learning makes this internship a very valuable experience for me.

What stayed with me the most during my internship

One of the things that stood out to me the most during my internship at Pàu is the open and approachable atmosphere within the team. Starting an internship in a new environment can feel a bit overwhelming, but from the beginning I felt welcomed and included.

Colleagues are always willing to take the time to answer questions, explain certain decisions or give feedback on a design. That makes it much easier to learn and to understand how experienced designers and developers approach digital products.

Another interesting aspect is the variety of backgrounds within the team. Everyone brings their own expertise and perspective, which often leads to valuable discussions about design choices, technical possibilities and user needs. Sometimes you learn just as much during a short conversation with a colleague as during the actual design work.

It’s also the small everyday moments that make the experience memorable. Having lunch together, informal chats between meetings or simply the relaxed atmosphere in the office all contribute to a positive working environment.

For me, that balance between professional collaboration and an open team culture is what really makes this internship special.

Starting a career in UX/UI design today

During my internship, I also started looking differently at the transition from studying to working in the field. As a student, that step towards the professional world can sometimes feel quite big. Especially in a field like UX/UI design, where technology and digital products continue to evolve so quickly.

During your studies, you learn the foundations of the discipline: researching user needs, creating wireframes, building prototypes and thinking about intuitive interfaces. But once you enter a real working environment, you start to see how all these elements come together within larger digital projects.

One thing that stood out to me is how broad UX/UI design actually is in practice. It’s not just about designing screens. It’s also about collaborating with developers, understanding technical constraints, considering the context of a product and thinking about what users really need.

That combination of design, technology and collaboration makes the field both challenging and exciting. There’s always something new to learn, whether it’s about tools, processes or the way digital products are developed.

For me, this internship confirmed that UX/UI design is a direction I want to continue exploring. It has given me a clearer view of the industry and more confidence to take the next steps in my career.

Looking ahead

My internship at Pàu has given me a much clearer picture of how UX/UI design works in practice and how digital products are developed within a collaborative team. Being able to observe and contribute to real projects has helped me understand how design decisions are made and how different disciplines work together to shape digital experiences.

For me, this internship has been a valuable opportunity to apply what I learned during my studies while also learning from people with experience in the field. It showed me how much there still is to discover within UX/UI design and how important collaboration is when building digital products.

The experience has only strengthened my interest in this field. I’m looking forward to continuing to grow my skills and exploring where a career in UX/UI design might take me next.

Hopefully this story gives a small insight into what it’s like to start your journey as a UX/UI design intern at a digital agency like Pàu.