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"Failure is not an option" — Apollo 13, NASA
Congratulations on taking a big leap into doing something that you truly love; fashion.
Before committing to the diploma, you might have already heard of all the horror stories about how tough the full-time diploma is, and how its not for the faint-hearted.
Below are some useful tips, with things you can before the diploma starts so that you not only survive, you thrive!
Ask yourself why you chose to embark on this journey. Where do you envision yourself in a year's time? What do you need these skills for? Buy a fresh notebook, brainstorm, and write down your thoughts, feelings and motivations.
take a look a current openings on Linkedin or Glassdoor. Look at the job responsibilities and functions and see which positions resonate with you. If you have friends in those positions, call them to get an unbiased glimpse of that role. Look beyond the Singapore Market, and look under fashion employees working for prominent brands to understand how these employees brand and create their personal portfolios. Linkedin is a great platform to filter your searches based on cities or companies.
focus on a specific niche you would like to champion. Look at the top 10 successful and unsuccessful brands and learn why they succeeded (or failed!) so that you don’t make the same mistakes.
think of how you can exponentially grow your business with automated sales processes and digital marketing.
In asking those questions, hopefully, you will form meaningful questions that you are able to bounce with your batchmates or trainers teaching the different specialized modules at TaF.tc.
In order for you to reap the most benefits out of the 3–4-month programme, make sure to block out all your training dates so that you can commit to them fully with limited distractions. We would advise against deferring any modules, just so you can keep the momentum. During your period of study, participate in wholesome activities to keep yourself active and healthy; exercise regularly, eat fruits & vegetables and get enough sleep. :)
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As the diploma is an intensive programme, it is normal to feel overwhelmed by the amount of content and industrial jargon that you are expected to digest. No need to beat yourself up over it!
In order to pace yourself better, take advantage of the time you have before the course commencement to absorb as much E-learning content as you can. Be sure to have a physical notebook to jot down important pointers so that you can easily refer to them when you need them.
The first 2 E-learning modules & 3 sets of E-Course Notes will be released to you within 5 working days upon making the full course fee payment.The E-learning is available to you online, 24/7 and you can access them anywhere and at any time!
For those doing the Diploma in Apparel Design & Product Development, we encourage students to consider taking the 44-hour course on Basic Drafting & Sewing before the diploma starts. This helps you to better prepare yourself for all the sewing modules and expand your creativity further for the final module on ‘Develop Design Collection’.
For those who are looking to get a job after graduation, documenting what you have done for each module can help your future employer better visualise the skills you have learned. Students are encouraged to take as many pictures of their practical-work as possible. For example, Fabric/Leather samples, screen-printing, pattern drafts, sewing outputs, and project work.
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It is also good to spend 10-minutes at the end of each day to reflect on what you have accomplished, the challenges faced and the key takeaways. The content and photos will help you better draft your future portfolio and biography.
Here are some useful resources to help you out:
In a fast-paced class, there is a tendency for students to compare themselves with those around them.
Comparing yourself with others will only bring unnecessary stress and frustration.
Instead, the only person who you can compare yourself to and have a good chance of beating is the person you were yesterday. They lived the same exact life as you. They had the same advantages as you. You both started life at the same line, and you can get ahead of them by improving yourself today.
Most full-day classes start at 8.30 am in the morning. To respect those who came early or on-time, the trainer will start as scheduled. Attendance is typically taken within 15-minutes from the class start time. Anyone who comes after the 15-minute grace period will be marked as absent.
Missing any part of the class means students have to spend more time and energy to catch-up with what they have missed. This would generally affect the pace of the class.
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Because TaF.tc does not offer any make-up or replacement classes, it is important to come to class especially for the full-day modules. In the event that a student anticipates missing a class on certain dates, it would be best to try re-scheduling the event. If that is impossible, inform the programme advisor in charge of your course for further advice.
Set the frame right from the beginning by making an effort to come to class early from Week 1! Just imagine how much more the trainers will be able to cover if everybody made it to class early and on time! :)
Whether fuelled by an unfulfilled desire to pursue fashion or a need to learn how to create the apparel you love, it's key that you embrace and enjoy every aspect of the process.
The diploma has been designed to meet the standards of the industry. There is no doubt that there is a steep learning curve, and TaF.tc has no intention of diluting our current content or compromising our standards.
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Like most courses of study, there will be times where you feel stressed and challenged, and giving up seems like a viable thought. It is in these defining moments that we challenge you to reframe the situation, so it becomes something meaningful to you as opposed to something that’s just challenging.
One of the things that we know is that if you want to create the preconditions for having a meaningful moment, if it has this sense of awe, it’s more likely that you will remember that as having meaning.
SKYDECK LIVE: THE SCIENCE OF A MEANINGFUL LIFE
“We Chose to go to the moon, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.” — John F Kennedy
