Fashion Short

The FTM today announced a package of courses available for those who want to improve their design skills through CAD (computer aided design) expertise and increase their employment opportunities in the creative sector. The FTM – the only museum in the UK solely dedicated to showcasing contemporary fashion - already runs a number of courses for those working in the creative industries. From January 2010 these courses will be available free to those who have been unemployed and claiming Job Seekers Allowance for six months or more, and living in London. The courses takes place at the FTM’s distinctive building in Bermondsey Street, just minutes from London Bridge and include:

Photoshop and Illustrator, the most commonly used software in the fashion and creative industries that enhance and broaden design and technical skills

Adobe InDesign desktop publishing is the industry standard desktop publishing software for anyone who needs to produce leaflets, flyers, lookbooks, posters, magazines or newsletters and allows you to incorporate images from Photoshop and Illustrator to produce any type of publication

The FTM works in partnership with Lectra, one of the leading software developers in design packages and can also over access to specialist software, Kaledo Style, widely used in the fashion sector to create technical drawings and high quality presentational material for clients and manufacturers.

Diane Gowland, a Director at Newham College of Further Education who own and operate the FTM said ‘During these tough economic times having the right skills is increasingly important to give people the best possible chance in a very competitive job market. These courses are a fantastic opportunity for those who have been unemployed for at least six months to do just that in a creative and dynamic environment. The FTM is pleased to be able to play a role in supporting the creative industries in this way.’ The courses will run until July 2010 and demand is expected to be high so early registration is recommended.