If you are customer-focused, creative and work well under pressure then you could be the ideal candidate for a career in the fashion and retail industry.
We offer courses which will help prepare you for a career in these vibrant and fast-paced industries.
You’ll learn from industry experts and develop invaluable practical skills through selecting and buying products, creating the marketing plan and helping to run the website for Tempus, the college’s in-house gift shop.
The fashion industry is the UK’s largest creative industry. Possible employment opportunities in fashion retail management, fashion merchandising, fashion buyer, fashion range planning or fashion marketing.
I enjoyed learning about stock presentation, stock management, visual merchandising and so much more. I had huge support from my lecturers who really built up my confidence.
Heather McDonald,
Retail
Although it is a big jump from school, you are offered so much help as well as being encouraged to make your own decisions, you really do grow up when you get to college.
Tara Hamon,
Retail
The bridge degree from college to university was excellent and I had all the relevant knowledge and understanding to successfully complete my degree with a first class honours and an award for the best dissertation.
Cheryl Appleby,
Retail
Tara's Story
From a young age Tara Hamon had an interest in fashion.
“I knew no matter what I was doing later in life, it must include some aspect of fashion. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the right grades to get into university, so I took a year out when I finished school and started my first job in a high street retail store.”
During this time Tara researched options to still be able to go to university and decided to study Retail/Fashion at Dundee and Angus College as it could give direct entry at second or third year.
“I graduated from college having learned multiple things – the ins and outs of becoming a buyer, the various methods of marketing, implementing high quality customer service within a business, the accounting side of things, opportunities to gain retail experience by working in a pop-up shop and my favourite of all, managing an event, our own charity fashion show.”
Tara loved how college gave her the opportunity to meet people from different backgrounds who all wanted to succeed.
“Although it is a big jump from school, you are offered so much help as well as being encouraged to make your own decisions, you really do grow up when you get to college. I am very proud of being awarded an A for my final grade which gave me the opportunity to be accepted onto the university course I had aimed for.”
Tara currently works for the St Andrews Links Trust within various departments.
“My main role is to assist the overall running of The Old Course Shop and ensure customers receive a luxury 5-star experience. One day I would like to have my own fashion business within the golf industry. I certainly wouldn’t be where I am today if I hadn’t gone to college so, if anyone is unsure of whether they should apply or not, I would say do it. You won’t regret it.”
Cheryl's Story
When Cheryl Appleby began her Retail Management course at Dundee and Angus College she had no idea where she wanted to go with her career.
“The course helped me understand a wide view of possibilities and areas of business that I never knew existed. Teamed with the support from the staff, the HNC/HND experience was a well-structured way to prepare for university.”
After college Cheryl studied the step course to Fashion Management at RGU, joining directly in third year of university.
“The bridge degree from college to university was excellent and I had all the relevant knowledge and understanding to successfully complete my degree with a first class honours and an award for the best dissertation.”
Cheryl quickly gained employment in London in the field of Merchandising.
“This was an area I decided I wanted to work in. Merchandising embodies analytics, business strategy, product management and is predominantly numbers focussed, however it remains within a creative environment of buyers and designers which is why I love it so much.”
Cheryl began her career in London working for Kurt Geiger as a Merchandise Admin Assistant and now has a Merchandiser/Planner role with Burberry.
“To work for a British institute such as Burberry and to be responsible for managing and strategising the core assortment worth hundreds of millions of pounds a year is a dream come true. I am very proud of my achievements but none of this would have been possible if I hadn’t joined that first course at college that lead me down this path!”
