Clothing Construction Techniques

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Heriot-Watt UniversitySchool of Textiles Design

• Cath. Fenton Lecturer
• Jeanette Graham Careers Adviser
• Embedding skills into the curriculum
• Professional Career Readiness

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Heriot-Watt UniversitySchool of Textiles Design

• Why?
• Employability Professional Career
• Readiness main focus of Universitys strategic
  plan.
• Improve graduate destination figures
• Combat fall in league tables

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Heriot-Watt UniversitySchool of Textiles
Design

• Employability, preparing
• students
• and graduates
• with the essential skills
• beyond the intricacies of
• the discipline for a career
• in the fashion arena.

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Fashion graduates not only need an impressive
portfolio, they also require

• creative talent and abilities to produce new
  variants
• technical knowledge in product realisation
• solutions to the age-old problem of clothing the
  body
• skill to develop refreshing and exciting
  awareness of design in a contemporary context
•         

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Fashion graduates not only have to have an
impressive portfolio

• But also
• Commitment and drive
•                      Motivation and enthusiasm
•                   Team working
•                     Oral communication
•                     Flexibility and adaptability
•                   Customer focus
•                    Problem solving
•                  Managing own learning and
  career
•        Commercial awareness
• Planning and organising

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Session 04/05 implemented a strategy to
intersperse activities into the curriculum at all
levels to enhance Professional Career Readiness
(PCR)

• Looked at 3 areas of PDP focus and integration
• Academic core skills
• Personal/Career skills
• Reflective skills for students

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Graduate employability skills

• Achieved an informed understanding of the
  requirements for employment through
• Placement provider feedback
• Graduates feedback
• Graduate employers feedback
• Guest speakers from the industry
• Industrial Advisory Group

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Based on SCQF levels, Academic Skills Coach
undertook an audit of employability skills
already in the curriculum through

• Questionnaires to academic staff
• Lecturers looking at skills in each module
• Activities and assignments in each course
• Specialist skills workshops delivered either by
  lecturer or Academic Skills Coach

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Embedded in the curriculum

• Oral, visual and written presentation
• Live projects
• Teamwork to achieve common goals
• Self and peer assessment
• Reflective analysis
• Also
• Encourage work placements (compulsory in FT)
• Discipline related vocational employment

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Live Projects in curriculum

• Current
• Woven fabric manufacturer - Holland Sherry
• Giftware retailers Hallmark
• Specialist dye manufacturer - B H Liquid
  Crystal Resources Ltd
• Textile design agent - Chris Judge
• Using environmental friendly fabrics Gardening
  Scotland

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Professional Career Readiness

• Sessions delivered by Careers Adviser for all
  years of all courses from year one.
• All sessions are timetabled for all students
• Attendance is taken at each class and passed to
  Course Directors
• Encouraged and supported by academic staff
• No formal assessment

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Professional Career Readiness classes

• Four courses FDI, TFDM, FT and DfT
• Year One Delivered as part of Registration
  programme to all 1st year students and Direct
  Entrants
• Careers Service Induction
• Introduction to employability skills and
  expectations of graduate employers.

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Professional Career Readiness classes

• Year Two
• Building on, recording and reflecting on skills
• Writing CV/covering letter.
• Individual CV/letter checks
• Year Three
• Career planning and work experience
• Career options fashion/textile occupations and
  skills required

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Professional Career Readiness classes

• Year Four
• Graduate job searching
• Application procedures
• Interview skills
• Also
• All students offered individual help and advice
• Separate programme for Placement Students
• Same programme for School of Management students
  on Campus

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Professional Career Readiness classes Get
Started Programme
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Professional Career Readiness classes Guest
Speakers

• Textile Embroiderer theatre couture design and
  production
• Director CAD/CAM company advanced technologies
  for the Clothing industry
• Senior Retail Consultant
• Former CE of Aquascutum global sourcing and the
  impact on the Western World .
• BHS Quality Manager career and experiences/advice.
  

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Results - PCR Embedded Skills

• Rates of Graduate level employment steadily
  increasing
• 03/04 - 46.4
• 04/05 - 56.3
• 05/06 - 73.4
• 06/07 81.4

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Professional Career Readiness classesBenefits

• Closer links with academic staff
• Higher profile of Careers Service amongst
  students
• More awareness of the needs of the industry
• Students better informed with regard to
  where/when/how to apply for jobs
• Marked increase in number of students applying
  for work experience

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Professional Career Readiness classes

• Issues
• Attendance can vary
• Raised expectations
• Very labour intensive
• Requires back-up resources
• Relies on support from academic staff

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Preparing graduates for a successful career in
the global fashion industry