Fashion education is ready for a change

As we emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic, a much more flexible, multidisciplinary, omnichannel approach will be required, and one that connects with the changes happening in the industry, especially in terms of digital tools and access. Institutions will have to rethink their educational content and how it is delivered to find a balance between the liberal arts and more interdisciplinary professional skills that align with a digital economy. In addition, students' tuition will have to be recalculated to be in line with post-graduation expectations and salaries.

Universities will need to continue to broaden their faculty base, bridging the gap between industry and academia and facilitating more significant crossover. This will require higher-paying jobs that are in line with industry pay to attract top talent.

For their part, companies will need to build proactive learning opportunities into the same benefits they offer their employees, rather than relying on external programs. This could include offering "bridging curricula" for recent graduates, partnering with universities to create curricula and programs, rethinking internship programs, and even offering paid internship programs. In turn, these efforts will help provide more opportunities for companies to teach hyper-focused skills, as well as to innovate. Studies also show that employees with access to apprenticeships through their employers are more likely to stay with a company.

On the university side, they will need to be more transparent about their revenue centres and their reliance on international students and non-academic programming. Covid-19 exposed many inconsistencies in tuition, student access, and relationships with faculty. And social media amplified these issues beyond what institutions could control, forcing a conversation around education.

Lastly, academic institutions should consider an omnichannel learning approach, in which they diversify their offering across physical and digital channels. Today's student wants flexible, personalised options that aren't necessarily built into a typical three or four-year on-campus program. And with the change in media and technology, institutions will have to rethink their pedagogy, either internally or with educational technology partners, when it comes to developing and delivering educational content.

Fashion has always had a delicate balance between commerce and creativity, beauty and function, subjectivity and objectivity. Fashion, too, is constantly changing and evolving. This mix creates excitement and energy and continues to attract people to work in this industry. However, as the industry continues to become more corporate and global, the stakes have never been higher. This industry requires real skills combined with the ability to problem solve and collaborate. Training for employees in this industry, both new and current, must change to meet these new demands. Institutions that do not change, academic and corporate, will lose their competitive advantage and may even close their doors. It is a reality that retail is well aware of and must learn from. The change in fashion education must be made now, or it will be too late.

This article was originally published on FashionUnited.es, and it was translated into English by Andrea Byrne.