Post Secondary

Apparel Technical Designers are the link between design and production as they transform a sketch into a full technical package ready for manufacturing a product in quantity. This one-year Apparel Technical Design graduate certificate program prepares fashion designers with apparel technical design skills for positions in the apparel industry.

Graduates will have the skills to conduct market analysis and trend research to design and complete a collection using computer-aided drafting technology and product lifecycle management technology. Quality and costing analysis will inform design choices as the full product specification package is completed and as collection projects are manufactured in an apparel manufacturing lab facility using appropriate and efficient manufacturing techniques.

Designers with solid pattern-making, grading, textile, illustration and construction skills will advance their knowledge to manage the complexity of writing detailed technical specifications, refining garment fit and sourcing components in pre-production, to achieve production-ready samples and technical packages. Graduates will attain the expertise required to anticipate and solve manufacturing issues, be able to maximize quality and minimize cost, consider sustainable options and be more prepared to launch future collections through experiencing the full cycle of designing and manufacturing a collection.

Admission Requirements

Students may enter from a fashion design diploma or degree program into Apparel Technical Design Graduate Certificate program. Graduates from George Brown College F113 Fashion Techniques and Design, or other fashion design programs in colleges or universities in Ontario, Canada and International institutions will be eligible to enter. Graduates of this program may proceed to further their studies in Bachelor or Master’s level depending on previous education.

Program Information

Duration 1 year (3 semesters)

Start Date September 2018

Accreditation Province of Ontario, Canada, College Graduate Certificate

Year of Study 2018-2019

Method Full time onsite

Career Opportunities

Technical Designers work with fashion design teams and manufacturing staff to develop and monitor technical standards and specifications for garments. This process includes finalizing production-ready patterns, solving fit issues, size grading, sourcing and build of materials list completion, construction details and sequence, setting quality standards, and communication of the technical details and changes through the entire production process.

Graduates of this program may choose to pursue job opportunities such as: Technical Designer, Fit and Spec Technician, Designer, Apparel Quality Control Technician, Garment Technician, Tech Pack Coordinator, Computerized Pattern Maker/Fit Specialist, Fashion Technical Designer, Technical Coordinator and Product Development Manager.

SUSTAINABLE FASHION PRODUCTION

1 YEAR POST-GRAD in 3 Semesters

This Sustainable Fashion Production graduate certificate program in Toronto prepares graduates to manage the manufacturing process of small batch apparel products. Pre-production analysis, selection of appropriate techniques and technology, flow and efficiency, human resource ethics, environmental concerns, and quality and costing are assessed and applied for sustainable production of small batch apparel products in an apparel manufacturing lab facility.

Students will examine manufacturing methods including lean, machinery, material requirements and production flow, and observe first hand the development and manufacture of apparel products. Management of production will be experienced through the development of costing, capacity, process mapping, work measurement, value stream mapping and other planning tools. While the context of this program is apparel, the processes, management tools and knowledge could be applied to product design in other fields.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Students may enter from a diploma or degree program in Business, Manufacturing, Engineering or Supply Chain Management. Graduates from George Brown College F102 Fashion Management, F112 Fashion Business Industry or F113 Fashion Techniques and Design, or the fashion management and design programs in colleges or universities in Ontario, Canada or international institutions are eligible to enter. Graduates of this program may proceed to further their studies in Bachelor degree or Master’s level depending on their previous education.

Program Information

Duration 1 year (3 semesters)

Start Date September 2018

Accreditation Province of Ontario, Canada, College Graduate Certificate

Year of Study 2018-2019

Method Full time onsite

Career Opportunities

The apparel industry is experiencing disruption from many directions. Concern over the human and environmental impacts of textile and apparel production coupled with those over working conditions, living wages and questionable treatment of workers offshore has led to greater interest in reshoring production. New technologies are also disruptive, and can lead to greater efficiency, less waste and fewer errors, yet are expensive to implement and need to be properly utilized to provide intended returns on investment.

Many of these disruptions are contributing to the expansion of apparel production in the Canadian market. Canadian companies have started to reshore production with local manufacturers in order to retain control over quality and lead time, and to ensure they are meeting consumer sustainability criteria.

Graduates of this program may pursue career opportunities such as Production Manager, Production Planning, Pre-Production Coordinator, Factory Manager, Sourcing Manager, Manufacturing Production Manager, Apparel Production Supervisor, Quality Control Inspector, Sustainability Auditor or Technical Development Director.