OFO No:

What is a Clothing Manager?

A Clothing Manager is responsible for the planning and control of production.

They are in charge of quality standards and that the clothes are manufactured to the right price, specifications and on time. 

What does a Clothing Manager do?

• works on budgets
• liaises with designers
• co-ordinates the entire operation
• is in charge of quality control
• plans production systems
• liaises with management
• makes sure workers follow specifications and instructions
• orders materials, trimmings, interlinings etc
• improves existing systems

Are you … ?

• organised?
• computer literate?
• a good communicator?
• detail orientated?
• a good planner?
• a good manager?
• a multi-tasker?

How do I become a Clothing Manager?

There are 2 main ways you can become a Clothing Manager:

(1) You can do a National Diploma and a BTech degree in Clothing Management at most universities of technology.

(2) You could do a diploma in fashion and complement it with a management course or diploma. There are many specialised trianing institutions that offer these courses.

TRAINING:

• CLICK HERE to check for a training institution near you to see what they offer.
• Make sure you understand their entry requirements for each course.
• To avoid scams, make sure your institution is registered with the Department of Higher Education. 
• CLICK HERE to check accredited Private Higher Education Institutions. 

OTHER CAREERS TO CONSIDER: Fashion Designer … or … Retail Manager

Is becoming a Clothing Manager the right career choice for me?

A Tailor is a skilled person who makes fitted clothes for individual customers.

Many Tailors specialise in alteration work, as there is a demand for this service in retail stores and dry-cleaners offering alterations as part of their service.

Being a Tailor is a really exciting career choice.  Due to ever-changing fashion – it will keep you on your toes and therefore give you job satisfaction.  You won’t get bored.

What does a Tailor do?

• helping the customer choose the correct fabric and style for  the garment
• taking the customer’s measurements
• developing a design for the garment or modifying an existing design
• drawing an individual pattern or altering a standard pattern to fit the customer
• cutting the material for the garment
• assembling and sewing the garment
• fitting the garment on the customer and marking areas requiring alterations
• doing the alterations
• inserting zips, creating button-holes and sewing on buttons and any other decorative features

Are you … ?

• interested in style, clothes and materials?
• good with your hands?
• detail orientated?
• accurate?
• technically orientated?
• a person with good sewing skills?
• able to communicate with people?
• patient?
• a person with good eyesight?

How do I become a Tailor?

You may get on-the-job training alongside an experienced Tailor but to jump ahead of the rest, you may consider doing a few courses.
Courses in pattern making or fashion design may help you jump ahead of the rest.

Education and Training Colleges (FET) may offer programmes for specific Trade or Skills in tailoring.

Visit the Career Planet Training Institutions page to find your nearest FET College.

We advise contacting these institutions directly.

Here are few examples:

• INTEC:

Offers a Pattern Cutting and Design Diploma
http://www.intec.edu.za/live/content.php?Item_ID=7&ProductCode=P399&intec-pattern-cutting-and-design-diploma-job-creator/=

• CAPE PENINSULA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY:

Offers a short course in Pattern Making (Ladieswear)
http://www.cput.ac.za/component/content/article/index.php?option=com_jumi&fileid=11&cid=81&ccidl=1

OTHER CAREERS TO CONSIDER: Pattern Maker or Fashion Designer

Is becoming a Tailor the right career choice for me?

See below for more info.

They cut and sew custom-made clothing like men’s suits, jackets and coats, dresses, blouses, eveningwear and sportswear.

They discuss the clients’ requirements and take his/her measurements, and estimate how much the garment will cost to make. They then mark and cut the material according to the chosen design, loosely stitch (tack) the garment before sewing the pieces of material together in order to shape the garment.

The client will visit the dressmaker for a fitting at which stage the dressmaker will assess the garment for any necessary alterations.  Once the garment is fitting correctly the dressmaker will complete the garment ensuring that the customer is happy with the finished product.

Dressmakers often own their own studios.  They can become involved with creating and sewing outfits for weddings, fashion shows and many other important engagements.

Many dressmakers follow a passion and have a natural ability to sew and understand a customers requirements.

Cobblers work with shoes. 

They either make new shoes or boots or mend them by replacing old soles, heels and buckles.  They either sew or glue the items in the correct place. 

Some Cobblers are required to fix decorative elements on footwear such as sequins, beads and special ‘artistic’ stitching.

There are two kinds of people who work with shoes:

• A private Cobbler, works in a small, usually cramped workshop or in an outbuilding with limited machinery and tools.  Most of the work is done by hand.  Most of the work is from private customers.  The work is varied as each customer will want something slightly different.
• Factory worker. The factory manufactures footwear which is usually done by people-operated-machines.  The work here is repetitive.  The factory is much larger and more spacious than a workshop.

There are a number of people with disabilities active in the footwear trade.
TYPICAL TASKS: (workshop):

• speaking to clients about their requirements
• looking at footwear and discussing solution to the problem
• sourcing items such as buckles, laces and leather etc where required
• fixing the problem (heels, soles, tears and scrapes, broken buckles etc etc)
• making new shoes
• remodeling and improve old shoes

ARE YOU …

• good with your hands?
• a person who enjoys detailed work?
• good with people?
• hard worker?
• accurate and quality driven?
• self motivated?
• a person with good eye-sight?
• organised?
• friendly and helpful?

TRAINING:
Some experienced Cobblers might give you on-the-job training.  Some shoe manufacturers may give you in-service training.
Minimum requirements:  Usually a Grade 8, no compulsory subjects.

• FOOTPATH DEVELOPMENT TRUST:  (Gauteng):  Offers training:

http://footpath.co.za/training-programme
 

Minimum requirements:

• Black unemployed women of all ages
• Must be able to communicate in English
• Must be willing to work for herself, as a ‘start-up entrepreneur’

OFO No: 661102

Other names for Watchmaker:

CLICK HERE

Youtube clip – Watchmaker Career

For training options in South Africa – scroll down

What is a Watch and Clock Maker and Repairer?

A Horologist (Watch & Clock Maker and Repairer) is a person who specialises in and studies all forms of time-keeping devices. 

Horologists work for large watch making companies or in jewellery stores.

They make and repair these pieces (both large and small).

For example:

• Clocks
• Watches
• Chronometers
• Antiques and collector’s pieces

What does a Watch and Clock Maker and Repairer do?

• designs, builds and makes time-pieces
• services
• problem-solves
• quotes on jobs
• fixes/repairs time-pieces
• makes new parts or sources parts if necessary
• keeps records

Are you … ?

• a person with a steady hand?
• a person with good eyesight?
• detail orientated?
• precise?
• patient?
• a perfectionist?
• reliable and honest?

How do I become a Watch and Clock Maker and Repairer?

• BRITISH HOROLOGICAL INSTITUTE OF SOUTH AFRICA

http://www.bhisa.co.za/?page_id=48

They provide appropriate ‘distance-learning’ courses for Preliminary, Intermediate and Final Grade.

• POPULAR MECHANICS MAGAZINE

Has a wonderful article on Jacques Arzul – a practicing horologist.

http://www.popularmechanics.co.za/staff-blogs/self-taught-master-horologist-seeks-a-worthy-apprentice/

PATH 1

• Apprenticeship
• Trade Test

PATH 2

• Learnership – Jewellery Design Level 2, 3 and 4
• Trade Test

PATH 3

• Learnership – Jewellery Manufacturing in a Production Environment Level 2, 3 and 4
• Trade Test

PATH 4

• Learnership – Measurement, Control and Instrumentation Level 2, 3 and 4
• Trade Test

PATH 5

• Learnership – Electro-mechanics Level 2
• Learnership – Electro-Mechanics (Manufacturing and Engineering) NQF Level 3 and 4
• Trade Test

PATH 6

• Learnership – Instrument Mechanician NQF Level 2, 3 and 4
• Trade Test
  

OTHER CAREERS TO CONSIDER:  Precision Instrument Maker or Gunsmith

Is becoming a Watch and Clock Maker and Repairer the right career choice for me?

OFO No: 661102

Other names for Watchmaker:

CLICK HERE

Youtube clip – Watchmaker Career

For training options in South Africa – scroll down

What is a Watch and Clock Maker and Repairer?

A Horologist (Watch & Clock Maker and Repairer) is a person who specialises in and studies all forms of time-keeping devices. 

Horologists work for large watch making companies or in jewellery stores.

They make and repair these pieces (both large and small).

For example:

• Clocks
• Watches
• Chronometers
• Antiques and collector’s pieces

What does a Watch and Clock Maker and Repairer do?

• designs, builds and makes time-pieces
• services
• problem-solves
• quotes on jobs
• fixes/repairs time-pieces
• makes new parts or sources parts if necessary
• keeps records

Are you … ?

• a person with a steady hand?
• a person with good eyesight?
• detail orientated?
• precise?
• patient?
• a perfectionist?
• reliable and honest?

How do I become a Watch and Clock Maker and Repairer?

• BRITISH HOROLOGICAL INSTITUTE OF SOUTH AFRICA

http://www.bhisa.co.za/?page_id=48

They provide appropriate ‘distance-learning’ courses for Preliminary, Intermediate and Final Grade.

• POPULAR MECHANICS MAGAZINE

Has a wonderful article on Jacques Arzul – a practicing horologist.

http://www.popularmechanics.co.za/staff-blogs/self-taught-master-horologist-seeks-a-worthy-apprentice/

PATH 1

• Apprenticeship
• Trade Test

PATH 2

• Learnership – Jewellery Design Level 2, 3 and 4
• Trade Test

PATH 3

• Learnership – Jewellery Manufacturing in a Production Environment Level 2, 3 and 4
• Trade Test

PATH 4

• Learnership – Measurement, Control and Instrumentation Level 2, 3 and 4
• Trade Test

PATH 5

• Learnership – Electro-mechanics Level 2
• Learnership – Electro-Mechanics (Manufacturing and Engineering) NQF Level 3 and 4
• Trade Test

PATH 6

• Learnership – Instrument Mechanician NQF Level 2, 3 and 4
• Trade Test
  

OTHER CAREERS TO CONSIDER:  Precision Instrument Maker or Gunsmith

Is becoming a Watch and Clock Maker and Repairer the right career choice for me?