Education VS Industry!

Further study? or Get a full-time job? A question with two very different outcomes and no wrong answer but the final decision will undoubtably carve the pathway to your future.

I seem to have found myself stuck right in the middle of this very debate once again - EDUCATION or INDUSTRY? I want to achieve the very best in my career and apply my skills to industry gained from always being a good girl (well most the time) and working hard in school/university/internships but with so much to consider alongside the cost involved in either completing MA studies or unpaid work placements and internships, it seems somewhere near impossible to move forward in an industry that requires you to spend so much and earn so little. 

Securing a paid role within the fashion business is amongst one of the most challenging tasks for a young fashion professional post graduation - employees ALWAYS want experience - so again I question how valuable a 2:1 Bachelors degree with Honours and 3 years studying at university really is? 

I recently attended and blogged about a post-graduate event at The University of Birmingham - The Postgraduate Study and Funding Fair is open to ALL students and graduates considering postgraduate study, although not really that helpful for someone looking to progress onto a fashion focused MA the fair did help me explore postgraduate study during an unbiased lecture which helps students and graduates to fully asses if graduate study is right for them by asking...

- Will your post-graduate study give you an ADVANTAGE?

- What about the cost? Is their FUNDING available?

- Is your course REALLY essential to your industry?

- Is the course VALUED by potential future employers?

- Is the university HIGHLY-REGARDED?

For those of you that regularly check back with CHIC-BOX MEDIA you will know I recently touched upon these key points from the lecture - and well I still don't know the answer or even if their is a RIGHT answer to the questions proposed. 

STILL CONFUSED?

In contrast to the postgraduate study and funding fair I also attended the Manchester Fashion Networks Recruitment fair in association with the leading industry magazine Drapers. This was quite a small event which gave students and graduates the opportunity to have one to one conversations with recruiters including Selfridges, Matalan and Tesco and the Digital, Creative and Marketing Recruitment agency Orchard. 

Talking with industry professionals is undoubtably the BEST way to gain an insight into what recruiters are really looking for, with every employer wanting something different from their applicant.

Having done my research into postgraduate study and available recruitment roles alongside applying for numerous positions only to be rejected for the standard 'experience and qualifications not being as closely matched as other applicants' I've come to the conclusion that it's not necessarily about education over industry and vice versa but in fact a balance between the two that prepares you for employment - BUT while recruiters are still expecting more and giving less (in terms of wage) it still seems that it is only the wealthy who can afford to live in our capital at the centre of the fashion industry and work for free OR those that can complete MA studies without needing to consider the financial implications that will occur by taking on such a demanding role. 

Although their is support for individuals wanting to complete postgraduate study but are worried about funding the course costs in reference to the professional careers and development loan, this is still something that needs much consideration as it WILL need to be paid back. 

So while all of this is getting me a step closer to making my FINAL decision regarding postgraduate study I'm not quite there yet. However talking to existing MA Fashion Marketing and Communication students at Nottingham Trent University's postgraduate School of Art and Design open evening has given me the confidence to believe that if you REALLY want to do it it can be achieved.  

Please share your views regarding the on-going Education VS Industry debate -  and hopefully you can help me get one step closer towards my future pathway.

Words: Nathalie Dawe