Dreaming of a job in the fashion industry? Here’s where to start
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH NATIONAL FASHION COLLEGE
WORDS BY IZZY WIGHT
This is your sign.
It’s the beginning of a new year, which means it’s time to take action on those long-formed plans for 2025. We’re not talking about vague resolutions like decluttering your miscellaneous kitchen drawer or buying fewer $9 iced lattes (though these are probably good ideas). We’re talking about making transformative, big-picture moves – like kicking off your career in the Australian fashion industry.
While the prospect might seem daunting, the first step is relatively simple: enrol in a hands-on fashion course. Most industry insiders will tell you that on-the-ground experience is what matters most but it’s difficult to land career-making opportunities without the formal studies to back it up. This is where National Fashion College’s (NFC) new Melbourne campus comes in.
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Fusing a globally informed curriculum with real-world industry exposure, NFC takes a unique, contemporary approach to fashion education. Take its Advanced Certificate of Fashion, offered at NFC’s Sydney campus as well as online for students Australia-wide. The course has produced some impressive alumni, like Michaela Milford, a publicity and events assistant now living in New York City, who has worked across NYFW and the Met Gala Afterparty. To further students’ growth, NFC is opening a new campus in Abbotsford, Melbourne this February.
Unlike traditional universities, NFC has no ATAR requirements – meaning fewer barriers to entry for aspiring creatives. Intakes happen in February, May, July and October, with flexible study options across Sydney, Melbourne or online (although we’d recommend IRL study solely for Melbourne’s podcasting studio and styling closet).
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The curriculum itself covers a huge breadth of roles in the fashion industry. Its Advanced Certificate of Fashion is split into four dynamic terms, covering fashion communications, creative direction, retail management and business management, giving you plenty of opportunity to discover what you really love. Other subjects include styling, marketing, art direction, public relations and journalism, so you can get a taste of almost everything before stepping into your fashion career.
For those with an eye abroad, the school also offers an international program, connecting students with money-can’t-buy opportunities overseas. Just last week, it announced it will be taking students to London Fashion Week later this year. To date, it’s brought over 100 students across five trips to both London and New York Fashion Weeks, offering exposure to opportunities like model dressing, public relations support, model castings and fittings, and VIP seating.
There’s no shortage of practical opportunities locally, either. National Fashion College currently works with over 600 brands, creatives and companies, in tandem with its in-house careers department, to guarantee internship placements tailored to its students.
Most importantly, NFC study fees are a fraction of the cost of typical university programs and the learning is rooted in real-life experiences. Each student is guaranteed an industry internship tailored to them, with opportunities to work alongside the brands and businesses that align with their interests. Weekly networking events are held to connect students with fashion professionals, spanning a range of roles and career backgrounds.
Melbourne’s lineup of speakers for term one includes a costume designer at Neighbours, the head of marketing of Bonds, members from the Maticevski head office and one of Australia’s most in-demand celebrity stylists. Sydney’s lineup features guests from Louis Vuitton, TikTok and Bec and Bridge, as well as the head of brand and marketing at P.E Nation.
If you’re still feeling hesitant, read a little more online (a brochure can be downloaded here) or book an appointment with one of their fashion industry consultants (link here), so you can get a feel for the campus and curriculum. Applications are now open for February intake and spaces are filling up fast.
To find out more about pathways at National Fashion College, head here.
