Role for Fashion Graduates

Role for Fashion Graduates

What role for the fashion graduates of the future?

UK higher education colleges and universities play a unique and important role in the education of ‘green collar’ fashion graduates, to equip them with the tools to create a more sustainable fashion industry. Focusing on the links between employability and sustainability, we have examined the needs and expectations of fashion industry employers in relation to education in sustainability within fashion related courses. This research has been funded by the Higher Education Academy.

According to findings, most fashion companies, including large retailers, take into account social, environmental and ethical factors within their business to the extent of having a policy to reflect this. For many, such factors are central to what the business does. It’s good news for graduates, as those equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills are considered an asset to a company and are able to have a positive impact on a business.

And a closer working relationship for education and business could be on the cards, as the research found that companies are enthusiastic about the prospect of working with colleges and universities more closely, particularly in informing course curriculum in these areas, recognising the benefit it can have both to the next generation of graduates and to the businesses themselves.