Creativity, smart methods and technology are the keys to the success of the New Zealand apparel industry. From skilled operator to business manager, apparel firms need capable, well-trained people to manufacture clothing that attracts customers from around the globe.
The type of jobs you can do in the apparel industry include:
- creating or updating fashion designs
- preparing drawings of the designs
- drawing patterns
- working out the cost of the creation
- selecting and buying fabrics
- cutting the fabrics
- operating knitting machines and knitted garments
- sewing the clothes and other apparel items
- planning clothing production methods
Apparel qualifications recognise the skills needed for specific jobs in clothing manufacture. These are practical workplace skills and complementary skills such as health and safety, workplace practice and communication skills.
Most training for the apparel sector takes place on-the-job. You can have your skills and knowledge recognised by gaining a national qualification.
Some qualifications also require trainees to complete unit standards outside work. These could either be unit standards covering technical knowledge or unit standards that complement the on-job training, such as first line management.
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