Clothing, fashion and accessories designers

You could do a foundation degree or higher national diploma in a subject like:

• fashion
• art and design
• textiles

You could take a college course to learn skills in pattern cutting, sample machining and computer-aided design.

Courses include:

• fashion design
• fashion and textiles
• art and design
• T Level in Craft and Design

Look for courses that teach both the creative and technical side of the job. These will give you the practical skills that employers look for.

You could apply to do a Garment Maker Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship.

This apprenticeship takes around 2 years to complete and is a mix of on-the-job training and classroom learning.

You'll usually need a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree.

Courses are widely available and include:

• fashion design
• art and design
• garment technology
• textiles

You should look for a course that covers both design and technical skills to get the practical knowledge needed by the industry.

Several universities and colleges that run courses are members of the British Fashion Council, which promotes strong links with employers in the fashion trade.

You could do a college course, which would teach you some of the skills and knowledge you need to work in the fashion industry as an assistant.

Subjects include:

• fashion
• fashion and textiles
• craft and design

Once you've gained some experience with an employer, you may be able to do further training to become a fashion designer.

You'll need to get as much work experience as you can, for example through an internship, as there's strong competition for jobs in the fashion industry.

This can help you get a better understanding of the role, and to meet people who may help you to find paid work later on.

The British fashion industry supports initiatives like the National Saturday Club for young people aged 13 to 16, looking to learn about fashion careers.

You could take a foundation degree, higher national diploma or degree in a subject like:

• textile design
• fashion and textiles
• art and design
• surface pattern and textiles
• textile technology

You can also do a postgraduate course in textile design if you have a related first degree or a lot of industry experience.

When choosing a course, it's important to check that it covers the technical skills and knowledge that employers want.

You can take a college course in textiles or art, craft and design. These courses will teach you some of the skills and knowledge you need to get an assistant’s job with a design company.

If you want to work in the development of industrial textiles, you can take a course in design and technology or product design.

You could apply to do an apprenticeship, such as:

• Fashion and Textiles Pattern Cutter Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship
• Textile Technical Specialist Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship
• Fashion and Textiles Product Technologist Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship

These take around 2 years to complete and combine training on the job with off-site study.

Apprenticeships like these could help you to find a trainee position. This might be with a design company, or with a manufacturer, making technical textiles used in industries like healthcare, construction and aerospace.

You could start work as a textile design assistant or technician. You would combine your work experience with on-the-job training and qualifications to become a textile designer.

You can do a higher national diploma, degree or postgraduate qualification in:

• costume design
• fashion
• theatre design
• costume construction

You could do a college course to get practical skills that you'll need to find a trainee position. Courses include:

• fashion and textiles
• production arts
• art and design
• T Level in Craft and Design (Textiles and Fashion option)

You could apply to do an apprenticeship, such as:

• Costume Performance Technician Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship
• Bespoke Tailor and Cutter Level 5 Higher Apprenticeship

These can take up to 2 years to complete.