Higher Certificate in Fashion

Purpose

The purpose of the Higher Certificate in Fashion is to enable learners to enter the industry or for further study. The core disciplines of design and garment engineering, as well as fundamental modules in commercial and contextual areas, will ensure a well-rounded learner. The focus on the design and manufacture of essential fashion products, alongside the more specialised skills of digitally-based fashion marketing and entry-level entrepreneurial. Also, the integration of these essential and foundational knowledge fields will ensure that learners can design a viable fashion product for a range of audiences and purposes within the local marketplace.

The practical modules 'Fashion Design' and 'Fashion Illustration' will prepare learners to design relevant and contemporary commercial collections that are clearly-illustrated following industry standards. Learners will also be prepared to design appropriate garments for manufacturing to expected quality standards with the modules 'Pattern Engineering', 'Garment Construction' and 'Clothing Technology'. The latter will provide the necessary grounding in textiles and other fashion industry supplier vocabulary to prepare learners for successful communication within the fashion sector.

Academic Literacy' will provide the building blocks for learners to get a grasp of and demonstrate basic academic principles and skills appropriate for written and visual reports. It will also assist in the development of learners' study skills.

The 'Fashion Marketing' module will enable learners to promote their products digitally. The 'Fashion Business Concepts' module will instil an understanding of the basic principles and practices required to start building fashion ventures.

The simulated work-integrated learning module will provide the platform for learners to demonstrate a culmination of these fundamental skills that will ultimately see the learner become an asset to any organisation.

The Exit-Level Outcomes are broken down against the learning domains as follows, and describe what the learner will be able to do on completion:

Cognitive [Knowledge] Domain

• Adhere to academic principles and ethics in written and visual reports.
• Promote fashion products through appropriate social media channels.
• Follow the basic principles and practices that relate to setting up a small fashion business.

Affective [Attitudes] Domain

• Through collaboration, exemplify entry-level fashion industry principles, skills and practices within a given situation.

Psychomotor [Skills] Domain

• Design relevant and contemporary essential fashion collections.
• Illustrate a variety of garment designs on basic fashion figures.
• Draft and manipulate patterns following basic pattern engineering principles.
• Recognise basic garment construction principles in order to reproduce quality garments.
• Replicate the technical package following industry standards.

Rationale

This qualification seeks to provide an alternate option for passionate learners, which, on completion, will see them into entry-level employment in a local fashion business or gain them access to articulate into the Diploma or Degree qualifications.

The benefit to the institution is fewer prospective learners turned away, the opportunity to nurture a new group of learners, and a higher pass rate for those articulating into further study.

The Higher Certificate reduces traditional barriers to entry (epistemic access to knowledge, the articulation gap, financial and time-based barriers); ultimately increasing the number of learners gaining access to higher education.

The qualification also serves to meet the growing local demand for training and development with a vocational focus in fashion and related manufacturing fields. As an identified priority growth area by the National Planning Commission for the department of The Presidency in their 2030 National Development Plan, the clothing and textile sector requires talented and motivated creative individuals; the skills, knowledge, attitudes and values required by people working in the field of fashion are captured in this commercially-savvy qualification.

The qualification provide exposes both learner and staff to local and international speakers on various topical industry issues in order to ensure that the Institute and its staff and learners remain at the cutting edge of their field. It is the aim that this will broaden and develop the learner understanding and incorporate an international depth to the learner's experience.

The qualification proposal process incorporates feedback from external experts within the field of fashion and design. This qualification input has been attained from industry experts such as Steven Faerm (Parsons NY), John Jay (Parsons NY), Walter Bucholz (CPUT); Massimo Casagrande (Istituto Maragoni, London); Ryan Keyes (Local fashion designer), among others.

This qualification offers a planned and purposeful set of learning outcomes that will prepare learners for entry into any of the sub-sectors of the fashion industry and for further learning in this learning pathway.

The qualification's vocational structure will provide a depth of theory and the level of application needed for entry-level work in established or start-up local fashion ventures, provided by core disciplines of design and garment engineering, as well as fundamental courses in commercial and contextual areas that will ensure a well-rounded graduate. Work could also include assisting formal/other roles and being groomed into such roles after some experience has been achieved and continued professional development undertaken. Typical roles that the learner could enter include:

• Social Media marketer for fashion brands.
• Sourcing Assistant.
• Small-scale production (Garment Sampler/patternmaker).
• Quality Control assistant.
• Sales Assistant/Online Sales Manager.
• Small fashion Business Owner.
• Small-scale retail (Market Stall/Pop-up Shop owner).
• Visual Merchandiser.
• CAD Designer.
• Pattern-maker Assistant/Cutting Assistant.
• Designer Assistant/Junior Fashion Designer/Assistant Apparel Designer.
• Blogger.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

The qualification allows for open access and is achievable in part or whole through the process of RPL/CAT. Provision is provided for prior learning to be recognised if a learner can demonstrate competence in the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes embedded in this qualification. Access to the qualification will also be allowed via Recognition of Prior Learning of the adult learner's competence to widen access to the Higher Education qualification.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• National Senior Certificate, NQF Level 4, granting access to Higher Certificate studies.
• National Certificate Vocational, NQF Level 4, granting access to Higher Certificate studies.

This qualification comprises of compulsory modules at NQF Level 5 totalling 124 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, 124 Credits

• Fashion Design, 18 Credits.
• Fashion Illustration, 10 Credits.
• Pattern Engineering, 18 Credits.
• Garment Construction, 18 Credits.
• Fashion Marketing, 12 Credits.
• Fashion Business, 13 Credits.
• Academic Literacy, 10 Credits.
• Clothing Technology, 15 Credits.
• Work-Integrated Learning, 10 Credits.

1. Adhere to academic principles and ethics in written and visual reports.
2. Promote fashion products through appropriate social media channels.
3. Follow the basic principles and practices that relate to setting up a small fashion business.
4. Collaborate, exemplify entry-level fashion industry principles, skills and practices within a given situation.
5. Design relevant and contemporary essential fashion collections.
6. Illustrate a variety of garment designs on basic fashion figures.
7. Draft and manipulate patterns following basic pattern engineering principles.
8. Recognise basic garment construction principles in order to reproduce quality garments.
9. Replicate the technical package following industry standards.

The following Associated Assessment Criteria will assess the Exit Level Outcomes in an integrated manner.

• Review primary and secondary research.
• Classify and interpret the "spirit of the time" in response to a design brief.
• Interpret and summarise Themes from a visual mood board for a fashion collection.
• Recognise and describe the principles and elements of design.
• Explain core terminology in design.
• Recognise multiple design styles.
• Illustrate creativity in design ideas and presentations.
• Replicate appropriate professional, storyboard presentation methods.
• Describe and illustrate the differences between realistic proportion and fashion illustration proportion are described and illustrated.
• Recognise the difference between an essential static figure and a figure with movement.
• Draw a fashion pose following the Gesture Method.
• Replicate basic figure forms to use as a base for fashion illustration.
• Recognise accurate anatomical proportions of main facial features.
• Follow the process of illustrating fashion garments from sketching to a complete fashion collection.
• Illustrate lines and marks using a variety of mediums.
• Take and follow accurate measurements.
• Explain flat draft pattern (as opposed to draping pattern making) process.
• Draft basic foundation blocks.
• Recognise and replicate grading principles.
• Draft non-standard blocks.
• Review technical drawings so that design detail can be recognised and replicated.
• Recognise different garment and garment part types, and their drafting methods followed.
• Trace relevant pattern pieces for construction of a finished pattern.
• Explain and follow Industrial sewing equipment functioning, controls, abilities and application thereof.
• Adhere to Health and safety factors applicable to specialist equipment and machinery.
• Explain and repeat principles and methods of laying out a pattern on fabric for cutting.
• List and define relevant terminologies.
• Describe the Impact of quality principles of garment construction.
• Sew a variety of different garment assemblies following industry standards.
• Describe and follow appropriate garment construction techniques for standard and non-standard fashion fabrics.
• Reproduce a variety of ways of fastening a garment.
• Explain various software tasks and activities.
• Follow the actions to save, retrieve and print out a drawing file to scale using computer-aided drawing software.
• Repeat scanning and image manipulation in the appropriate software.
• Follow technical methods for drawing.
• Define basic textile terminology.
• Recognise textile elements (fibre, yarn, construction and finishing) are from the given swatch.
• Review textile swatches accurately and appropriately from local suppliers according to name.
• List clothing production restraints and principles.
• Summarise design information into sections of a technical package for manufacturing purposes.
• Interpret different kinds of questions correctly.
• Replicate in-text referencing and bibliographies following the Harvard Method.
• Explain the importance of research and what it entails within the fashion context.
• Describe the various types of research.
• Reproduce and interpret data into a coherent written, visual or verbal report.
• Adhere to the format of written and visual reports.
• Explain the principles of marketing within a local fashion business.
• Orate and write principles following industry-accepted standards and techniques.
• Describe various social media marketing channels.
• Describe the small fashion brand's product offering to the defined target audience.
• Engage with appropriate social media platforms and follow best-practice standards.
• Explain the concepts of local fashion businesses.
• Describe the elements and steps involved in starting one's own fashion business.
• Review and explain the fashion and textile supply chain areas within the fashion and textile supply chain about viable business opportunities.
• Identify and describe elements that make up a mini business plan.
• Practice and replicate small business accounting principles.
• Orate and write principle using industry-accepted standards and techniques.
• Replicate social skills such as empathy, professionalism and ethical decision making in the workplace.
• Communicate techniques followed in a variety of situations to communicate their own opinions effectively.
• Put a plan of action into place in areas of personal development.
• Recognise business and organisational weaknesses and strengths.
• Reproduce an insightful and reflective logbook of learnings.
• Acknowledge a sense of responsibility to the environment.

Integrated Assessment

Assessing the learners' ability to complete tasks that stimulate the demands of the industry. Fulfilment of the assessment, the following assessment types include:

• Group assignments,
• Individual assignments,
• Practical Design briefs,
• Written assignments such as reports and essays,
• Oral Presentations,
• Written tests/exams,
• Portfolio submissions,
• Integrated projects,
• Multi-media Presentations.

There are two types of assessment methods formative assessments and summative assessments.

Formative Assessments

The purpose of formative assessments is to determine where learners are about where they should be in terms of the specific outcomes for each module. Formative assessments assist learners and lecturers with deciding as to which work will have to be revised. Thus, formative assessments are critical for learners to monitor their progress and their readiness to sit for examinations (summative assessments).

Summative Assessment

Learners are required to sit for a final integrative assessment (examination) for the course at the end of the semester. The summative assessment will be in the form of an examination paper under controlled conditions.

Work-Integrated Learning

The WIL HC module is a hybrid of work-directed theoretical learning and problem-based learning. Learners will attend scheduled contact lessons that include slide presentations, theoretical tutorials, and reflective group discussions throughout the guided teaching approach.

Formative assessments (including case studies and given problem scenarios) will prepare the learners for the summative evaluation (a simulation of a pop-up fashion business concept) through peer review and lecturer assessment.