Thomas Cole can fix your feet, one 3D-printed shoe at a time

A course that fosters skills and innovation 

That Thomas had the capabilities to produce such a complex piece of work is a testament to the UTS Product Design course. The degree is known for producing practical, highly skilled graduates with diverse expertise across the many areas of product design. 

In fact, Thomas says, the chance to explore so many facets of product design played a key role in his decision to come to UTS in the first place.   

What he also came to value, he says, was that in his Design Honours year, he was encouraged to step outside of his comfort zone while having the support of the teaching team. 

For Thomas, who has a clear-eyed view of where he wants life to take him, this balance was integral to helping him continue to push the boundaries of his skills development. 

In one class, he says, his Honours tutor constantly challenged him to articulate the why of his design decisions — why this material? Why this approach? 

“I’d never really had anyone push back at me,” he says. 

“Every single time, in a three-hour class, he’d spend 20-30 minutes with me questioning me about my process.” 

Now, Thomas asks himself those same questions when he works — why am I making this choice? What’s the purpose of this design element? How does this serve the end user? 

What’s next for Thomas

Thomas hopes these high-level skills will help him land a job as a shoe designer with a big-name company. The positive response at the Design Honours Showcase suggests the product design world is already taking notice. 

"Seeing people look at my work and smile and go, ‘Oh wow, that’s really cool’ — that was probably the most enjoyable thing,” he says.   

“There was an overwhelming support for everyone — it was really good to see.”