Why a short course could be the best thing for your fashion career

Learn fast.

Chances are you’ve clicked on this article because you are:

• Considering studying fashion
• In the midst of studying fashion
• Don’t know what the hell you’re doing

Well, I’m here to tell you you’re in the right place.

By now, I’m sure you’ve considered all the obvious career pathways into fashion – through someone you know, university, or begging – but have you ever thought about a short course?

I know what you’re thinking, ‘short courses don’t lead anywhere, they’re a waste of time and I’d rather go to Europe’.

But that’s where you’re wrong (not about Europe, but it can wait).

Education institutions are investing huge amounts of money into short courses, because they’re a great way to start from the ground up, or for people in the industry to upskill.

Since picking what you want to do with your life is SO HARD these days, it pays to explore your options first. Because nobody wants a $20,000 HECS debt for a course they never completed.

Here’s why a short course could be the best thing for your career.

No commitments

Show me a person with a bachelor’s degree and I’ll show you five more that earned a big debt for an education they never received. The problem isn’t the degree, it’s because no one knows what they’re really studying until one, two, three weeks into the semester, and it’s usually around the two-week mark that the payment cut-off comes into place. Most reputable schools like this one offer short courses ranging from one day to six months, which is perfect for commitment-phobes.

Low fees

Speaking of that HECS debt, the fees for a short course are next to nothing, meaning that trip to Europe could be a lot closer than you think. I’m talking lifelong skills for the cost of one pair of jeans. Crazy, I know.

Get a taster for the real thing

I thought I wanted to be a Coles checkout chick until I tried it and cried every day until I quit. The beauty of enrolling in a one or five-day course means you can get taster for the real thing, and figure out if it’s really suited to you. If it is, great! Head on to a degree and revel in your success. If it’s not, at least you tried, and only sacrificed minimal time in doing so.

Refine your skills

Learning new skills isn’t just for newbies. Educators like The Masters Institute of Creative Education offer plenty of upskilling workshops too. Makeup artists can learn about the science of skin, business owners can be shown how to style flatlays and the computer-illiterate can become tech-savvy. You can start with no prior experience, or refine your skills in just one day.

What’s on offer

If you want to work in the creative sector but still don’t know what area, your best bet is to try a course that offers a bit of everything. Workshops like Collaboration in the Creative Industries cover a general overview of the industry, so you can try your hand at a number of roles to see what you like. In five days, you’ll work across fashion photography, creative writing, illustration and visual communication, Adobe Creative Cloud as well as how to produce a portfolio. On the last day, you’ll even get to create your own professional photographs in a studio with a photographer and model. It doesn’t get more hands-on than that.

Reap the benefits

Once you’ve completed your course, you won’t be left out in the cold either. Students who finish a short course at The Masters will be added to its Agency T.M. database, an in-house placement service that connects brands with graduates. You’ll be put first when brands like Myer, REDKEN, Cotton On and more headhunters are on the lookout for the next big thing. Students from The Masters have even been known to help out on Fashion Journal shoots every now and then. It pays to know people.

If you like the sound of any of the above pathways, we suggest you head here to take the first step into your dream job.