Networking is crucial to success in any industry, and George Brown College wants to ensure their fashion program graduates get a head start in job hunting at their gala, FashionWorks 2010 on March 29.
At FashionWorks, graduating students of George Brown College’s fashion programs get to hobnob with leading fashion industry executives and celebrate the achievements of alumni already finding success in the fashion world.
Marilyn McNeil-Morin, chair of fashion studies and performing arts at George Brown, says the main goal of the event is all about helping fashion students put their best foot forward in the job market.
“The event really highlights the new grads and introduces them to the industry by giving them an opportunity to meet and network for jobs with industry professionals and share stories and ideas,” McNeil-Morin said.
On the flip side, the event also allows companies involved in fashion to showcase themselves to new graduates in a bid to attract the best young talent. Companies have found the event so popular in past years that 40-50 firms are expected to send representatives this year to meet with the more than 100 graduating students expected to attend.
McNeil-Morin estimates that about 20 per cent of grads attending past FashionWorks galas have found jobs or other employment connections through the event itself, so it’s no surprise graduates and businesses alike tend to flock to the gala.
Kingi Carpenter, 27, started her own fabric and fashion company, Peach Berserk, after having studied at George Brown and now is heading to FashionWorks 2010 to meet with peers and students and see how the industry is progressing. While the economy hit fashion just as hard as it did other industries, she believes things are moving forward and therefore fashion grads should be able to find more jobs for themselves in the Canadian landscape.
“I think the industry is picking up and people are looking more for things that are made in Canada, (I think) there’ll be a lot more work coming,” Carpenter said.
