Creating Skills for life
Built-Enviroment

2015 NEWS ARCHIVE

APTC delivers training to the garment industry

Jun 28, 2015

The Australia-Pacific Technical College (APTC) marks the successful completion of studies at the end of July 2015, for its second cohort of 24 participants enrolled in the Certificate III in Applied Fashion Design and Technology program.   

On 17 June 2015, APTC handed over a commemorative plaque to acknowledge the relationship that Mark One Apparel has had with APTC in providing its factory as a venue for the delivery of the fashion program and encouraging the up-skilling of its employees.

APTC is a development program funded by the Australian Government to deliver training and to increase the supply of skilled workers in targeted sectors in the Pacific region. APTC has campuses in Fiji, Samoa, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands.

The second cohort of students that attended the training are from garment manufacturing companies which include United Apparel, Mark One Apparel, Lyndhurst, Country Outfitter, PFD Fiji Ltd as well as students from Fiji Fashion week and the Fashion Council.  

Several employers like Mark One Apparel have noted that the training program has helped their staff to improve their skills, work quality and communication within the workplace.  

The first cohort of 20 participants from Fiji’s Central Division graduated from this program in 2014. Now APTC has set its sights on continuing the workplace delivery model of the fashion program in the Western Division commencing in July 2015. Around 20 participants from the garment industry in the Western Division are expected to participate in the training.  

The Certificate III in Applied Fashion Design and Technology is an internationally recognised qualification accredited by the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) and delivered by certified trainers in a workplace setting. The program helps up-skill existing garment workers and training is contextualised to meet students’ needs.  

APTC trainer for the Applied Fashion Design and Technology program, Jodie Araya, said that the training focused on design, pattern making, sewing and quality assessment. This helped participants to understand and familiarise themselves with the processes involved in designing and manufacturing a garment – from initial design to final product. 

Jodie added that the training delivery also helped participants identify ways to improve production and communication between divisions and to be more efficient and reduce wastage of resources and finances.  

A distinct advantage of the program is that it is a workplace-based course. Part of the course is conducted in a simulated work environment, so equipment and delivery remains current and relevant. 

The workplace-based delivery allows minimum disruption of work as participants are not away from their workplaces for long periods of time and enables them to network with each other and better understand work environment challenges. 

During the first course, Ranjit Garments provided a training venue for delivery. For the second phase, Mark One Apparel provided the venue, equipment and resources such as fabrics, technician support, paper, cutting of samples and many other invaluable services as well as the release of their employees to participate in the course. 

Jodie said that the support and engagement of the garment factories was essential to the success of the training.

APTC is an Australian Government initiative in partnership with the Pacific and Timor-Leste.

APTC is implemented by TAFE Queensland (RTO 0275)

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