Diploma of Applied Fashion Design and Merchandising (Design and Product Development)

People who are successful in this industry have:

• Creative flair and drawing ability
• Good colour and design sense
• Computer skills
• Good hand-eye coordination
• The ability to work independently or as part of a team
• Good time management skills
• The ability to work under pressure

Assessments give you the opportunity to demonstrate what you have learned, and to identify the knowledge or skills that may need further development. In this course you will undertake, practical projects and knowledge assessments.

The Certificate II in Applied Fashion Design and Technology is a hands-on course for fashion design assistants and beginners in the evolving fashion industry. You will learn your craft in a simulated fashion studio environment and focus on mastering the basics of design, patternmaking and sewing.

The Certificate III in Applied Fashion Design and Technology is your opportunity to explore your fashion potential. Learn the design, patternmaking and creative skills you need to make and sell your own garments, as a machinist in an alteration business, or as a fashion design assistant. This course provides you with the fundamentals skills to progress to a higher qualification.

This course, the Diploma of Applied Fashion Design and Merchandising, is a comprehensive fashion course. You will learn a range of higher level skills including design, computer & CAD, illustration, sourcing, patternmaking and garment making.

The Advanced Diploma of Applied Fashion Design and Merchandising will provide you with the higher level skills and knowledge needed for employment at management level in the commercial fashion industry. You will learn onshore and offshore manufacture for high volume and small production, creative, practical and technical skills and knowledge and the application of the design and product development process in a global context. You will be able to specialise in fashion design or business, as well as generalist roles.

This qualification offers a generic Advanced Diploma of Applied Fashion Design and Merchandising, as well as two pathways that tackle the skills requirements of a fashion design and a fashion business manager.

You may be able to choose a specialisation of this course:

• Design and product development
• Business and merchandising

Depending on your campus location and local partnerships with TAFE NSW, you may have the opportunity to participate in excursions such as visiting fabric suppliers, trade shows and attending exhibitions.

You will learn about different areas of the fashion industry and gain hands-on skills in:

• Advanced garment construction
• Patternmaking
• CAD design
• Adobe suite
• Product specification and costing
• Range development
• Textile fibres and fabrics
• Fabric manipulation to achieve creative effects
• Identifying design influences
• Sketching and fashion illustration
• Applying design elements and principles to fashion concept development
• Block construction using sizing systems
• Analysing garment fit

Work on real-world projects replicating the design and production process applied by the fashion industry. This includes designing a garment range, so if you have a collection youve always wanted to create now is your chance! You will design and draw garments, sourcing fabric and notions, pattern making, cut and sewing garments.

TAFE NSW is known for delivering theory along with practical, hands-on learning. You will work on real world projects, such as:

• Simulated workrooms with industrial sewing machines and specialist equipment
  -Computer labs with Adobe suit and CAD fashion industry programs

The textile, clothing and footwear industry has seen an increased demand for advanced technical skills, as well as broader science, technology, engineering and mathematics. This demand is driven by the need to support quality craftsmanship and to capitalise on new ways of working.

With the introduction of new technologies, such as automated computer-aided design (CAD) cutting and laser measuring equipment, employers are increasingly demanding skilled workers to support technological development.

Other job trends include sustainable and upcycled designs and pattern making which is an area of skills shortage.

According to the Textiles, Clothing and Footwear (TCF) Industry Reference Committee Skills Forecast and Proposed Schedule of Work 20192023, The Australian TCF industry continues to face vigorous competition from imports. Some businesses are realigning their operations to global supply chains, others are focusing on the supply of specialised or niche products to targeted markets. Between 20162017 and 20172018, the value of merchandise exports grew in most Australian manufacturing industry sectors.

The Diploma of Applied Fashion Design and Merchandising was designed in consultation with industry. The product development skills you learn in this qualification directly speak to skills gaps identified by employers and are transferrable across many facets of the fashion industry.