A TAFE NSW Diploma of Screen and Media not only opened Sara Aguiar’s eyes to some behind-the-scenes movie magic, it opened a door to a career that excites her.

Like many young people on the cusp of completing high school she wasn’t sure in which direction to make a career. She considered acting, but the passion faded. Then started to get creative with makeup and the penny dropped, she could become a makeup artist for stage, screen and events.

Who better to learn the art of makeup for screen and stage than from TAFE NSW teachers with industry connections to Leonardo DiCaprio and Cher?

Last year, Sara graduated from the Diploma of Screen and Media at TAFE NSW Ultimo with her own business up and running.

With real practical skills and experience at the forefront of the course, Sara was invited to work as a makeup artist in the Jurassic World Runway show at the Australian Technology Park.

“That was a huge step for me,” she said. “Being amongst all the action back stage, the designers and costumes. I was involved in doing the makeup for the models. This was great exposure.”

The runway show was based around the movie Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. Sara said she found it intimidating to be working on a high-profile runway show. But it gave her a taste for it and she was hooked.

Sara said her TAFE NSW teachers’ connections to the industry gave her priceless advice.

“One of my TAFE NSW teachers works as a makeup designer for a magazine, another works on films and was Leonardo DiCaprio’s makeup artist, while another met Cher through this industry,” she said.

“It’s a big deal to get tips from people with that level of industry connection. I would have had to wait years to get to the types of hacks my teachers shared with me from their industry experience.”

The other side to the Diploma encouraged students to focus their knowledge and experience into creating a business.

“My teachers prepared me for life after the course. We learned about dealing with clients, setting up a business, detailed our work experience and even workshopped business names and set up social pages. Now everyone can see what my business, Sara Ariana Makeup, is working on.”

“From the start of the course the teachers were building us up to have all this established; even now my they get in touch when they hear of a job coming up. It’s not a case of being on your own after graduation from TAFE NSW.

“For me that makes TAFE NSW stand out. They showed me how to make a business. They showed me reality.” 

To find out more about studying the Diploma of Screen and Media at TAFE NSW visit www.tafensw.edu.au or phone 13 16 01.

Media contact: Emma Cawley, TAFE NSW Media Officer, emma.cawley1@tafensw.edu.au, mobile 0412 478 415.