Abstract:

The value-added programme for full time Higher Diploma Fashion and Textile Studies (14093) held in 2006/07 was found to be highly successful. The design of the value-added programme is in addition to the conventional programme curriculum, its objective is to prepare our students for the work environment in the industry. The programme is aided at training and grooming our students with suitable employability skills, well preparing themselves to employers, so as to enhance their chances to be preferred graduates and satisfied employee.

The experience from the last value-added programme was positive. There were over 80 students participated in the programme from five different specialisms. Students were divided into five different groups: Two groups for Fashion & Clothing streams, Two groups for Fashion Retailing & Fashion Merchandising and ONE group from Fashion Technology. Three workshops were arranged and each workshop lasted for three hours. Professional bodies in each related field from the industry was invited to be our visiting lecturers for the workshops. The contents for each workshop include: seminar on job requirement, employability skills, interview training, appearance grooming, effective communication and presentation skills plus career talk.

The rationale for this Value-added programme is directly related to University strategic plan. The University has recently taken a major, strategic initiative to revise the curricula of its academic programme for the triennium 2005-08. The ultimate purpose of this curriculum revision is to enhance the quality of the programmes with the aim of excelling in the mission of developing all-round students with professional competence. An outcome-oriented education model was introduced that server to assist both teachers and students to understand the expected outcomes of the programme and the alignment of teaching and assessment with intended outcomes. One of the key components of the outcome-oriented education model was the mandatory work-integrated education (WIE) for all full time undergraduate programme. The intended learning outcomes of the WIE is to develop the generic attributes for students and to provide supported learning in the workplace.

Unfortunately, the WIE is aimed at three years full time degree programmes, the two years sub-degree programmes are missing out. In our Institute, we have over 250 students each year graduated from our Higher Diploma programme. The workplace skill (interview skills, presentation skills and employability skills) are critical to our students. The proposed value-added programmes to invite industrial experts to share their experiences to our students are therefore, necessary and important.

This project will report the findings from this value-added programme conducted in March 2009 from three different workshops, namely appearance grooming, portfolio preparation and interview training. Surveys were conducted from five different specialisms in fashion and textile studies namely Fashion Retailing, Fashion Merchandising, Fashion Design, Textile Processing and Coloration. Results shown that this Value-added programme increases students’ soft skill in terms of self image, build up self confidence and knowledge in preparing resume/portfolio.