Students to design Olympic podium - graduate jobs

Postgraduate students at the Royal College of Art (RCA) will be designing key elements of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games medal ceremonies, it has been announced.

The students will be seen working with the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) to design the podia where athletes will receive their medals, plus costumes, flower holders and the trays which will carry the medals and flowers.

More than 770 victory ceremonies will take place in 29 different venues across the UK in 2012. Nearly 250 trays and 6,000 flower holders will be used.

Fashion chain Next, the London 2012 official clothing and homeware supplier, will work with the RCA students on their designs to produce all the costumes for the ceremonies, including those for athlete escorts, presenter escorts, and medal and flower bearers.

Paul Deighton, chief executive of London 2012, said it was a "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" for the students.

Mr Deighton said: "We look forward to seeing their proposals, then teaming them up with industry professionals to realise their designs which will be seen by a global audience at the greatest show on earth."