This is an opportunity for you to directly interact with career professionals in order to strengthen your employability and focus on your own career potential. You can achieve this through various routes, for example: work practice; carrying our research to inform a case study; visits to studios or commercial venues, or interviewing practitioners. You will be expected to include primary research in the contemporary area of your career aspirations, and consolidate your findings with industry intelligence you find through professional and academic sources.

In undertaking your research you will further develop an awareness of the range of career and postgraduate opportunities for you, which will help inform realistic career goals and prepare you for entry into the commercial illustration sector. You will gather primary and secondary research illustrating various career paths to help you identify progression opportunities.

Your will prepare a portfolio that demonstrates an insight into the contemporary jobs market and employment opportunities for you. Your portfolio will include discussions and details of all areas pertaining to gaining employment, including:
• Illustrated evidence of interaction with practitioners (e.g. case study, industry report, journal of work practice experience etc.)
• Required interview skills and techniques
• Your approach to finding and responding to job advertisements
• CV preparation
• Personal promotion
• Professional presentation of work
• The development and maintenance of contacts (e.g. networking through online and face-to-face activities – blog, Linkedin, membership of professional groups etc.)

Portfolio, 100%

Your portfolio will include a range of evidence of personal and professional development activities, supported by written evaluation of interaction with textile and/or surface pattern designers in an appropriate format, e.g case study, work practice learning journal, investigative report etc.(4,000 words equivalent).

[Learning Outcomes 1, 2 and 3]

Work practice
Case study
Visiting lecturers from industry
Lecture and seminar group work
Researching and information gathering
Developing promotion strategies
Practicing professional presentations of work
Interview and personal presentation skills

Work practice
Library
Internet access
Lecture and tutorial room, with projector and internet access
Apple macs
Software: Adobe Illustrator/Photoshop/Indesign
Black and White A3 printer
Technical instruction workshops

Kawasaki, G. (2014) The Art of Social Media: Power Tips for Power Users. London: Penguin
James, J. (2009) You're Hired: Interview. Tips and techniques for a brilliant interview. Richmond: Trotman
Silber, L. (2010) Self-Promotion for the Creative Person: Get the word out about who you are and what you do. London: Random House
Leigh, J. (2004) CVs and Job Applications. Oxford: Oxford University Press
Darling, D. (2010) The Networking Survival Guide: Get the Success You Want by Tapping into the People You Know. New York: McGraw Hill
Cottrell, Dr. S. (2010) Skills for Success: The Personal Development Planning Handbook. London: Palgrave Macmillan Publishing

http://www.prospects.ac.uk/textile_designer_job_description.htm
https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/Pages/Home.aspx

1. DISCUSS AND ILLUSTRATE THE RANGE OF APPROACHES YOU HAVE DEVELOPED TO ACHIEVE YOUR PERSONAL CAREER POTENTIAL WITHIN TEXTILES AND/OR SURFACE PATTERN. DESCRIBE THE STRATEGIES YOU WILL EMPLOY IN ORDER TO OVERCOME THE CHALLENGES YOU WILL FACE AS YOU SEEK PROFESSIONAL PROGRESSION.
[Learning]

2. DEMONSTRATE AN ABILITY TO CONSIDER YOUR OWN SKILLS AND POTENTIAL IN RELATION TO IDENTIFIED OPPORTUNITIES, AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT TOWARDS THE FULFILMENT OF YOUR CAREER ASPIRATIONS.
[Reflection]

3. SHOW EVIDENCE OF INTERACTING WITH PROFESSIONAL TEXTILE DESIGNERS, AND INSIGHTS INTO THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE PROFESSIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE (SUCH AS BUDGETARY REQUIREMENTS, PROJECT MANAGEMENT, MARKETING ETC.) THAT SUSTAINS WORKING IN THE INDUSTRY.
[Application]