Eleanor Ready

Find out about Eleanor Ready BA (Hons) Fashion and Textile student on placement as Fashion Design Assistant at Aspiga

3 mins

School of Architecture, Art and Design Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries Placement stories

What motivated you to pursue an optional placement year?

I had limited experience working in the fashion industry, so thought a placement year would be a great way to get an insight into the career options available to me within fashion.

How many placement applications did you make? 

I applied to 3 or 4 placements, as well as the self employed placement year. I ensured to work closely with the careers team and get plenty of advice to maximise my chances of a successful application during this process.

What were your main concerns about taking a placement year? 

My biggest concern was the competitive nature of fashion placements, but I was also a bit worried my lack of experience may prevent a position being offered to me. 

What advice would you give to students about balancing placement applications with university studies?

Ensure you give yourself a few months to properly search, so have your application is ready for when positions that best suit you are posted. This also allows for a more relaxed application process as you can search when you don’t have an immediate deadline coming up.

What has been the most rewarding part of your placement so far?

The most rewarding part of my placement so far has definitely having my artwork approved for production and seeing how a design I drew is being used on products that will be sold in the near future.

Has your placement year influenced your future career path?

I am so much more confident now as I have been exposed to an abundance of new experiences and opportunities, so have a clearer idea of what I would like to specialise in after university.

Would you recommend the placement year to other students?

I couldn’t recommend doing a placement year enough, especially for those thinking of entering a fast paced industry, such as fashion. It’s been such an amazing learning experience for me and I continue to learn new skills which will help me in my final year of studies as well as in my future career.