New learning option tailored for youth

New learning option tailored for youth

Whanganui UCOL is piloting a fashion course especially for school students undergoing sewing tuition.

The 10 week, Level two course is based around preparing for and constructing a leisure garment. Those who complete it will gain five NCEA credits and two unit standards.

Whanganui UCOL Lecturer Junette Ward says four males and two females from a local secondary school have kicked off the course and are enjoying the diversity on offer. “The students are able to work in a professional fashion studio environment and decide whether further tertiary study in the area of fashion is the right choice for them.”

“School students may not know which direction they would like to take and these types of courses allow them to ‘give it a go’ in a different learning environment.”

The fashion course would also enable students to develop work to meet the portfolio requirement for entry into a fashion degree programme.

Enrolled students attend Whanganui UCOL every second week and also continue with tasks in their own schools under the guidance of their sewing teachers.

“We’ve been doing some really hands on, fun activities and I try to make it as exciting as possible,” Junette says.

“We have our own Project Runway; we do a bit of pinning, pleating and playing around. So far we’ve also done some basic technical drawing and critiqued current catwalk shows from Europe.”

Students have to complete two main elements: selecting a pattern and fabric to plan for constructing a leisure garment; and actually constructing the garment.

At the end of the last week they will be required to submit an inspiration board, design ‘roughs’, working drawings, the garment pattern and the garment itself.

The course is a Secondary Tertiary Alignment Resource (STAR) programme, created to allow year 11 to 13 students the opportunity to explore their potential.

ENDS

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