TAFE NSW graduate Zoe Pantazis is living the dream – gaining a job at MYER after completing her Diploma of Visual Merchandising at TAFE NSW Ultimo.

She’s entering the retail industry, which generates around $72 billion per year in Australia, contributing around 5.1% to Australia’s Gross Domestic Product. Of the $72 billion, NSW contributes more than a third of this at $22.8 billion per year[1].

When Zoe finished school, she wasn’t sure what she wanted to do for a career so she started researching possible career options. She says that when she discovered she could study visual merchandising at TAFE NSW, she was hooked on the idea.

Zoe said “I knew I wanted to do something with retail and I really liked fashion so when I found the Diploma of Visual Merchandising at TAFE NSW I was really interested and immediately applied to study the course.”

Zoe enrolled and was impressed by the hands-on, practical training she received, plus the industry knowledge and currency of her teachers.

“I loved having the chance to train in the TAFE NSW shop, a brand new, purpose-built, simulated retail shop which is used to facilitate training for retail and visual merchandising students. I also had the chance to participate in work placement at MYER and perfect my skills in one of the largest retail chains in the country,” Zoe said.

TAFE NSW Head Teacher of Visual Merchandising, Kerry Little, said the work placement was a great chance for students to gain real-world experience in the industry.

“A total of 19 students undertook work placement with MYER across the greater Sydney metropolitan area in the final semester of their Diploma.

“The students were mentored by a MYER staff member during their time in-store working on tasks ranging from fashion and homewares merchandising and displays, setting up the Christmas trim shops and Giftorium, and undertaking the varied tasks required to work as an in-store visual merchandiser in a major department store,” Ms Little said.

After Zoe completed her practical work experience, she was offered a position at MYER Liverpool and is absolutely thrilled with the outcome of her employment.

“I have come out of my shell since the first day of the course and became more confident as the months went by. The teachers at TAFE NSW really helped me build my skills and were always willing to offer help at any time.

“I can definitely see myself working in a senior role in visual merchandising in the future.”

To find out more about the range of sales and retails courses on offer at TAFE NSW in 2020 visit www.tafensw.edu.au or call 131 601.

Media contact: Alice Dalley, TAFE NSW Media and Communications Business Partner, alice.dalley1@tafensw.edu.au, mobile 0402 528 210.