Jobs & Training  

News 

Retail Apprenticeship Scheme – Finding the best young recruits for independent retailers - As an independent retailer your staff are your business. Finding the right staff who are enthusiastic about retail and eager to learn about your business can be difficult. The Retail Apprenticeship Scheme developed by the Retail Apprenticeship Training Agency (RATA) offers an effective and affordable solution to this problem. Read more > Skillsmart Retail

Careers Week

National Careers Week announce 2013 date – 4 -8 March 2013 – A packed week celebrating career opportunities and education across the UK. Read more > Careers Box

 Jobs

Lewes, Eastbourne, Seaford, areas in particularly – Sussex – we’re looking for experienced fashion sample machinists and experienced fashion staff for companies with manufacturing & production available …please contact us at info@fashionsussex.co.uk

Apprenticeships

 

Brighton & Hove businesses can sign up to apprenticeship schemes whilst new data released indicates a continued increase in the number of people starting an apprenticeship. The provisional data shows that in the first nine months of the 2011/12 academic year (August 2011 to April 2012) 383,200 people started an apprenticeship with apprenticeships starts rising across all regions of the country and at all levels. Read more > Brighton & Hove Business

Updates Retail Apprenticeships 

Last year, over 11,000 Retail Apprenticeships were completed in England alone. Despite accounting for 90% of retail businesses in the UK, very few of these Apprenticeships were employed in independent shops. Skillsmart Retail and the National Skills Academy for Retail have been given support from the National Apprenticeship Service, to run a programme to help independent retailers offer Apprenticeships.

We strongly recommend that you contact your local College – City College Brighton & Hove, Sussex Downs College Eastbourne, Newhaven and Lewes and Northbrooke College Worthing to get the facts today. Read more > Skillssmartretail  

Graduating?

Not sure what to do next? - This page offers information about dedicated fashion agencies - Internwise – CV tips and interview tips – and Linkedin information about job hunting.

Cultural and Creative Funding

The National Skills Academy for Creative and Cultural will receive around £1.5 million helping to expand and open up opportunities for more than 1,200 new apprenticeships and craft training for young people across the jewellery, design and cultural heritage sectors. The NSA Creative and Cultural also plans to reach around 1.2 million young people through their careers information, advice and guidance material over the next 5 years. Sussex Downs College Eastbourne being one of the dedicated educational establishments. The colleges and education hubs up and down the country will work with a number of leading organisations and employers, for example the Goldsmiths’ Company, and the British Jewellers’ Association.

Internships

Internwise will connect you with exciting new work opportunities – a new Interns jobboard with quality intern accounts. It means you can

• Stay informed about internships and placements within your industry
• Find the people & knowledge you need to achieve your goals
• 100% FREE service for both employers and candidates

 

 

 

University News

Brighton University offers an active job placement/permanent placement team who have good relationships with many design, wholesale and retail companies including H&M, Abercrombie and Fitch. Placement situation changes all the time, with designers and brands coming and going depending on the Universities current cohort of students, their aspirations and skills. Recent placements include Peter Pilotto, Mary Katrantzou, Gareth Pugh, Giles and McQueen in London, as well as at Galliano, Donna Karan and John Rocha overseas.

University of Brighton- Faculty of Arts

Faculty of Arts, Faculty Office, University of Brighton, Grand Parade, Brighton, BN2 0JY

Courses available:

· BA (Hons) Fashion Design with Professional Experience (Four year course with sandwich year)

· BA (Hons) Textile Design for Fashion with Professional Experience (Four year course with sandwich year)

· MDes Fashion with Business Studies (Undergraduate Masters) (Four year course with one term in industry)

· MDes Textiles with Business Studies (Undergraduate Masters) (Four year course with one term in industry)
The University of Brighton has produced talented artists and designers to follow in the footsteps of past graduates including the legendary Biba designer Barbara Hulanicki, Julien MacDonald – voted British Designer of the Year 2001 – and Gresham Blake, Brighton’s modish tailor to the stars.

More recently, University of Brighton graduates have established a range of new, innovative companies, including the cutting edge lingerie brand Ophelia Fancy and the ethical recycling fashion label Goodone. Two printed textile design graduates have created the fashion label Draw in Light and a woven textile design graduate is developing the textile consultancy Dash and Miller, specialising in the design and production of woven fabrics for the fashion and interior industries.

Many University of Brighton graduates go on to have successful careers in the fashion and textile industry, both in the UK and overseas, in addition to those who start their own businesses.

Local businesses are tapping into this wealth of talent in design, fashion and arts through our internship scheme, which involves students and graduates working with local companies and enterprises.

Employers can benefit from offering an internship. Contact Hilary Miller, The Industrial Liaison Manager, School of Architecture & Design, The Department of Fashion & Textiles – Work Placement Programme & Industrial Liason Manager. Call Hilary on 01273 643969 or email H.Miller@bton.ac.uk

Or contact Katherine Hope, Internships Officer at the University of Brighton Careers Centre on 01273 642855, emailcareers@brighton.ac.uk or go online atwww.brighton.ac.uk/careers/employers 

If you have a job vacancy then please share this with us by contacting info@fashionsussex.co.uk  

 LinkedIn

The use of free social media sites such as LinkedIn for dedicated and specialised fashion professionals with online recruitment pages is growing considerably with many major national and international store groups offering positions through these pages.

LinkedIn.com offers individuals a free opportunity to develop a professional online fashion image and contacts. An easy medium to use with a number of groups to join. LinkedIn

Apprenticeships

What are Apprenticeships? There’s a dedicated website full of facts. Read More > About Apprenticeships

Apprenticeship Week was launched during February and was the biggest Apprenticeship Week to date, with over 500 events across the country celebrating the countless achievements of learners and employers. Skillset (the sector skills council for the creative industries) in partnership with the National Apprenticeships Service (NAS), and supported by the Government, have pledged to work with 300 businesses in industries such as fashion, media and design to deliver 500 apprenticeships. The first places are set to be offered in September 2012. Many of these businesses are small firms who from next week will be able to apply for an incentive payment of £1,500 to take on their first apprentice in 2012/13.

City College Brighton & Hove

If your business feels that it can employ an apprenticeship, take the opportunity to have a look at the range of training apprenticeships offered by City College and the other colleges around Sussex which differ between campuses.

Apprenticeships industries that are recognised and fashion related from City College Brighton & Hove include Business Skills • Accountancy • Business Administration • Customer Service • Information and Guidance • Management • Retail • Creative and Cultural • Museum Curator • Theatre

If you feel your fashion or related creative firm could participate in this scheme, contact City College Brighton & Hove Apprenticeship Co-ordinator on 01273 667788 x 303 or visit the website. City College offer a full back up service and support for the employer.

Internships, Work Experience, Mentoring

Recent new Government initiatives propose asking for CVs without the name or the school details of candidates in order to remove the risk of discrimination during the application process along with updated proposals outlining work experience, internships and mentoring.

Businesses can sign up to -

• support communities and schools to raise aspirations through, for example, reading and mentoring schemes or encouraging their staff to go out to schools and inspire pupils about their careers;
• open opportunities up to all young people by advertising their work experience places through schools, online and in other public forums, rather than just giving places to informal contacts;
• make access to internships open and transparent, with financial support such as providing expenses or accommodation, or by treating the internship as a job that can be paid under national minimum wage law; and,
• recruit fairly and without discrimination, using application forms that don’t allow candidates to be screened out because they went to the wrong school or come from a different ethnic group (including through using “name-blank” and “school-blank” applications where appropriate).

Several Sussex colleges and universities have dedicated departments searching for employers to recruit students.

If your firm could accommodate a student for a week, two weeks, four weeks or a longer period of time, then consider contacting the appropriate departments. Even if your firm is small, a one-to-one basis working experience is as fruitful experience for both concerned.

Student Employment Co-Ordinators for Creative Industries Contact details

Sussex Downs College – Call 0845 2302007 / 01323637637

City College Brighton & Hove – Call Jean Travis on 01273 667788 / mob 07595 279922 / email jt@ccb.ac.uk

Brighton & Hove University – Call 01273 642855

Universities

University of Brighton- Faculty of Arts

Faculty of Arts, Faculty Office, University of Brighton, Grand Parade, Brighton, BN2 0JY

Courses available:

· BA (Hons) Fashion Design with Professional Experience (Four year course with sandwich year)

· BA (Hons) Textile Design for Fashion with Professional Experience (Four year course with sandwich year)

· MDes Fashion with Business Studies (Undergraduate Masters) (Four year course with one term in industry)

· MDes Textiles with Business Studies (Undergraduate Masters) (Four year course with one term in industry)
The University of Brighton has produced talented artists and designers to follow in the footsteps of past graduates including the legendary Biba designer Barbara Hulanicki, Julien MacDonald – voted British Designer of the Year 2001 – and Gresham Blake, Brighton’s modish tailor to the stars.

More recently, University of Brighton graduates have established a range of new, innovative companies, including the cutting edge lingerie brand Ophelia Fancy and the ethical recycling fashion label Goodone. Two printed textile design graduates have created the fashion label Draw in Light and a woven textile design graduate is developing the textile consultancy Dash and Miller, specialising in the design and production of woven fabrics for the fashion and interior industries.

Many University of Brighton graduates go on to have successful careers in the fashion and textile industry, both in the UK and overseas, in addition to those who start their own businesses.

Local businesses are tapping into this wealth of talent in design, fashion and arts through our internship scheme, which involves students and graduates working with local companies and enterprises.

Employers can benefit from offering an internship. Contact Hilary Miller, The Industrial Liaison Manager, School of Architecture & Design, The Department of Fashion & Textiles – Work Placement Programme & Industrial Liason Manager. Call Hilary on 01273 643969 or email H.Miller@bton.ac.uk

Or contact Katherine Hope, Internships Officer at the University of Brighton Careers Centre on 01273 642855, emailcareers@brighton.ac.uk or go online atwww.brighton.ac.uk/careers/employers

Colleges

Northbrook College – Department of Art, Design and Media

Northbrook College Sussex – Department of Art, Design and Media

The University Centre Worthing, Littlehampton Road, Worthing BN12 6NU

Northbrook College has an excellent reputation for student achievement and progression into the fashion and textile industries, self-employment and/or postgraduate study, as well as numerous national design competition winners and finalists.

Our excellent facilities in the Fashion & Textiles Department aim to provide a creative learning environment for all students studying on our Fashion & Textiles courses.

Courses available:

 - ABC Level 3 Diploma in Fashion Retail (One year Sixth Form course) www.northbrook.ac.uk/courses/?s=&code=FFDFRY

- BTEC Level 3 – Subsidiary/Extended Diploma in Art & Design Fashion (Two year Sixth Form course) www.northbrook.ac.uk/courses/?s=&code=FFDSFY

- BA (Hons) Textile Design (Three years Honours Degree Course) www.northbrook.ac.uk/courses/?s=&code=FHBST1

- BA (Hons) Fashion Design (Three years Honours Degree Course) www.northbrook.ac.uk/courses/?s=&code=FHBMW1

- BA (Hons) Fashion Media & Promotion (Three years Honours Degree Course) www.northbrook.ac.uk/courses/?s=&code=FHBMP1

All our programmes aim to highlight the relationships between creative practice, market placement and the business environment and develop appropriate knowledge and skills to meet industry requirements and operate within the fast moving world of fashion and textiles.

Students studying on the degree programmes within the Fashion & Textiles Department have also recently exhibited at Graduate Fashion Week exhibition and catwalk show (London), New Designers exhibition (London) and locally at the Arundel Museum. The high standard of student work has also recently led to a number of winners and finalists for several national design bursaries and competitions, including the RSA Bursary, Fashion Awareness Direct, New Look Fashion Competition, River Island Recycling Competition, Graduate Fashion Week Gala Show, Burberry Mentoring Project and Society of Dyers and Colourists prizes.

The Fashion & Textiles degree programmes aim to prepare the students with a range of professional and transferable skills for employment or further study and future career opportunities within fashion, textile and/or creative industries. Previous students have successfully established creative positions at Vogue, Tatler, Purple PR, Alexander McQueen, Armani Exchange, Boudicca, Whistles, Diesel, Michiko Koshino, Adidas, Puma, Top Man, New Look, Laura Ashley, to name a few.

University level courses validated by the University of Brighton.

Contact  telephone: 0845 155 6060   email: enquiries@nbcol.ac.uk   website: www.northbrook.ac.uk 

Sussex Coast College – Art Media and Design

Sussex Coast College Hastings, Station Approach, Hastings, East Sussex, TN34 1BA

Courses available:

· Foundation Degree – Fashion Design ( 2year course)

Contact 01424 442222 email studentadvisers@sussexcoast.ac.uk http://www.sussexcoast.ac.uk

City College Brighton & Hove – Art & Design

City College Brighton & Hove Pelham Street Brighton BN1 4FA

· Pattern Cutting Introductory (September 2011)

· Pattern Cutting Intermediate (January 2012)

Contact Course Information 01273 667759 email info@ccb.ac.uk

Fashion job agencies 

Fashion & Retail Personnel recruit for fashion jobs throughout the UK and across the globe. Recruiters for a number of blue chip retail multiples and numerous fashion brands, fashion suppliers, fashion manfacturers and fashion designers.

 

 

 

Fashion Monitor is the leading provider of contacts, news and events within the fashion industry and job search. There’s fashion and beauty media, fashion and beauty brands, fashion and beauty prs, creative agencies.

Drapersjobs.com Simple, online website with hundreds of fashion jobs in the South, and all over UK, covering most aspects of the industry including design, production, wholesale and retail. Whether you are just starting your career or an experienced fashion professional, they will have a range of jobs to suit. Simple site to use for those seeking fashion related jobs and those employing.  Featured recruiters, careers advice, CV help and mobile site.

 Retail Week               drapers.com jobs are in association with  Retail Week

 Retail Jeweller        drapers.com jobs are in association with  Retail Jeweller

Henry Fox Recruitment   Specialists recruitment agency for fashion services in London , and selected regions including Sussex.

Quest Search & Selection   Established recruitment agency within the retail  and FMCG sector, having a presence in most fields of fashion commerce.

Freedom Recruitment   International and national recruitment agency covering some of the most prestigious brands worldwide.

 

 

 

 

Jobs Retail co uk  1000′s of jobs on Jobsretail.co.uk the retail jobs specialist job portal.

Interns Abroad   Website for students seeking internships abroad

*Fashion Sussex cannot be held responsible for the content of third party websites.

CV Tips

• Sell yourself! You will be competing with lots of others
• Make sure your CV is relevant to the position you are applying for
• Start with your contact details and follow by education and qualifications
• Then follow with your work experience with the most recent at the top
• Follow on with any personal information
• Finally references

1. Avoid coloured paper which is difficult to scan and upload onto a database
2. Keep it to 2 pages maximum – only go onto a 3rd page if really necessary for additional relevant information
3. Ensure that the content is factual and accurate
4. Know what you have included before an inteview by re-reading beforehand
5. Profile briefs – Keep your personal profile brief and relevant to the position you are applying for. Profiles are very common on CVs nowadays – generally not given that much weight
6. Have 1 CV for each position you apply for – it should be specifically tailor-made for that role
7. Write it in the 1st person, not the 3rd – this is your CV about you
8. Make sure you get the permission of anyone you are including as a referee
9. Ensure that referees are your previous employers and remember to include their contact details

• Each CV should be accompanied by a covering letter, which should be written specifically for the position you are applying for.
• When writing your CV and letter always try to think what the employer will want to know and what they will be looking for from you in relation to the role.

Preparing for an Interview

• Check you have read the job advertisement and description if sent before the interview and ensure you meet the requirements detailed and have a positive answer for any areas you do not fully meet.
• Research the company online website, it’s products, services, staff, culture, clients and competitors.
• Ensure you know the correct name and position in the company of your interviewer.
• Read carefully what procedures the company are going to use for the interview; some companies have one-to-one interviews, others panels or assessment centres. 
• Make sure you know where you are travelling to for the interview and plan the route and estimate time it will take.
• Copy your CV and any additional documents  reuqested and have to hand.
• Dress appropriately checking the culture of the office too – wear smart attire and ensure your shoes are shiny and well kept.
• Read over your CV and make sure you know what you have written. 
• Focus on positive achievements when asked questions.
• Do not speak over your interviewer or interrupt and give a strong handshake when arrival.
• Prepare answers for any more negative aspects that you believe may be asked. 
• Prepare your questions in advance, about the company ethos, department roles in the future years, challenges in this role in the future?
• Do not ask what the salary and benefits benefits will be initially. 
• If the interviewer has not explained, then ask what the follow up procedure will be. 

After the interview 
If there are points that you felt were not entirely well answered and on reflection could have answered a question in a better way or failed to get an important point across, follow through with a letter thanking the interviewer for their time and reiterate your suitability for the post.

Successful
Ensure you have the job offer in writing before resigning a current post.

Unsuccessful
If you are unsuccessful in your interview, it is worth asking for feedback. Interviewers and their supporting departments are very busy but most medium and larger sized businesses now have  post interview feedback options.

Interviewing Candidates

• Improve Your Candidate Pool When Recruiting Employees
• Finding the best possible people who can fit within your culture 
• Hire the Sure Thing When Recruiting Employees
• Look First at In-house Candidates
• Be Known as a Great Employer
• Involve Your Employees in the Hiring Process
• Pay Better Than Your Competition
• Use Your Benefits to Your Advantage In Recruiting Employees
• Hire the Smartest Person You Can Find
• Use Your Web Site for Recruiting
• Check References When Recruiting Employees

National Careers Week

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