Fashion Technician

Company: Victoria College of Arts and Design

Job Title: Fashion Technician & Tutor

Salary Range: £40K - £45K

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: ON-SITE, Leeds, UK

Reports to: Academic Dean or Designated Academic Manager

Overview:

At Victoria College of Art and Design (VCAD), we are building our Fashion Design Undergraduate Degree Course Team and are seeking a Fashion Technician& Tutor to join us. This is an opportunity to provide expert guidance in garment construction processes and use of specialist machinery that will enable students to explore and develop their skills as the next generation of successful fashion professionals.

We are looking for someone with expert knowledge in garment construction and a comprehensive understanding of pattern cutting, with a positive, adaptable approach. You should excel in both independent and collaborative environments and have strong communication and interpersonal skills, along with initiative and problem-solving abilities, essential to support students and staff effectively.

If you're excited about teaching and passionate about the fashion industry, this role offers you the chance to design and deliver transformative learning experiences that inspire and support students to prepare for future success.

Key Responsibilities:

Support and Delivery:

• Work closely with the team to provide technical instruction in garment construction, pattern cutting and the application of garment cutting technology
• Utilise a range of best-practice teaching methods to offer guidance and instruction to students in the proper use of equipment, techniques and materials, including pattern cutting, machine operation and garment finishing
• Lead and deliver health and safety inductions ensuring health and safety compliance and best working practices are undertaken at all times
• Adapt your communication and teaching style to meet the various learning styles of the student body, fostering engagement and inclusivity.
• Collaborate with course teams to develop practical demonstrations and workshops
• Prepare materials, tools and resources for practical sessions to support students to achieve their learning outcomes and realise their creative ideas.
• Support the development of the student experience, aiming to foster creative and critical thinking and essential skills
• Take ownership of the technical spaces to ensure a safe and creative environment

Content Development:

• Work collaboratively with faculty, management, students and external stakeholders to design, develop, modify and enhance engaging workshop content that reflects industry trends, standards and quality.
• Participate in team meetings focused on module delivery and enhancement.

Quality Assurance and Continuous Improvement:

• Adhere to all VCAD and Partner institution policies, procedures, and quality assurance standards.
• Engage in peer review processes to improve and share good practices across teaching methods.
• Participate in teaching observation and evaluation processes to ensure good quality support, development and enhancement of teaching practice across faculty.

Student Support and Guidance:

• Act as an advisor and mentor to students, providing guidance on garment construction related matters
• Organise and participate in student digital skills engagement activities and additional, non-curricular, learning and digital skills support sessions.
• Address individual student needs, such as reasonable adjustments for students with disabilities, and refer to appropriate support services as necessary.

Professional Development:

• Participate in development activities, keeping abreast of relevant skills innovations and developments, staying informed about advancements within the fashion sector.

Administrative Responsibilities:

• Actively contribute to departmental goals and participate in activities such as knowledge transfer.
• Support VCAD initiatives, such as diversity and inclusion efforts, digital learning, and community collaboration.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

Essential:

• An undergraduate degree in Fashion Technology or an equivalent qualification or comprehensive experience in and understanding of garment construction and pattern cutting
• Strong technical knowledge and hands-on experience in garment construction and pattern cutting
• Enthusiasm for delivering technical workshops from concept through to realisation.
• Enthusiasm to share your skills to support students
• Ability to effectively communicate and adapt teaching to meet varied student needs
• A commitment to innovation and creativity in teaching and learning methods
• A commitment to undertake learning to develop knowledge in emerging industry trends

Desirable:

• Teaching experience within the Higher Education Sector
• Experience with Virtual Learning Environments (VLE) such as Moodle and an ability to create engaging learning digital learning content for students
• Experience of mentoring and supporting students and / or colleagues’ professional development.
• Confident use of appropriate Garment Construction software
• MS Office and general IT skills

Personal Attributes:

• Commitment to inclusion and widening participation, with an understanding of its impact on educational settings
• Ability to work collaboratively with teams and with the wider college
• Enthusiasm for contributing to the advancement of students through impactful teaching

Benefits:

• Annual leave (5.6 weeks) plus bank holidays.
• Workplace pension scheme.
• Company Sick Policy (from January 2025).
• Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) (until December 2024).
• Statutory maternity/paternity pays.
• Career development opportunities
• Training and self-development opportunities.
• Gym membership discounts
• Retail discount schemes
• Cinema discounts
• Grocery discounts
• Cycle to work
• Investing and savings opportunities
• Financial wellbeing – personal debt advise.
• Financial wellbeing education
• My Mind Pal (mental fitness)