This page is updated when information changes, but it's always best to talk to your training provider to confirm course details before you enrol.
Overview
This qualification reflects the role of individuals who use cognitive, technical and communication skills to analyse, plan, design and evaluate production and business management in the apparel, fashion and textiles industry. They use technical knowledge and initiative and judgement in their work. Job roles in established organisations may include assistant designers, assistant product developers, patternmakers, and production supervisors. In the business area, roles may include assistant positions in marketing, public relations, buying and visual merchandising. Individuals may also be self-employed as designers.
No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this qualification at the time of publication.
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Financial help
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Cost
Course costs can vary by provider and location. Ask your training provider for a cost estimate.
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VET Student Loans are available
See training providers offering VET Student Loans -
You may need to pay for equipment or materials.
To see how government funding could help to reduce the cost of your course, check your eligibility for funding.
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On-the-job training
- Apprenticeships and traineeships are not available for this course.
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Entry requirements
This course doesn't have any entry requirements. It could be a good starting point for your career.
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Duration
You complete this course when you’ve learned the skills, not after a set amount of time. The times shown are estimates.
- Qualification only:
1–2 years
- Qualification only:
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Delivery options
You may be able to access this training in these ways:
Course content
This course is made up of units.
All courses have core units—these are mandatory for completing the course. Most courses also have elective units, which you can choose from to suit your needs and interests. Not all training providers offer every elective, so check with your provider to find out which electives they can offer you.
For more information about course content, talk to your training provider or visit the National Training Register.
| Unit | Unit type |
|---|---|
| Assess impacts of emerging industry innovations and practices | Core |
| Cost production of fashion and textile designs | Core |
| Develop and present design concepts in response to a brief | Core |
| Interact and network with TCF industry participants | Core |
| Quality assure textile products | Core |
| Research and analyse textile materials | Core |
| Source materials and resources for production of TCF designs | Core |
| Support sustainable practice in apparel and textile design and production | Core |
| Use digital design tools | Core |
| Achieve visual merchandising targets | Elective |
| Analyse consumer behaviour | Elective |
| Analyse fit model | Elective |
| Analyse individual fit and make pattern alterations | Elective |
| Analyse influences on contemporary fashion designs | Elective |
| Analyse influences on textile design and construction | Elective |
| Analyse TCF merchandising and marketing principles | Elective |
| Apply an expanding range of arithmetical calculations for work | Elective |
| Apply legal principles in corporation law matters | Elective |
| Assemble and fit bespoke garments | Elective |
| Communicate design concepts | Elective |
| Conduct digital patternmaking and grading | Elective |
| Conduct fashion design purchasing | Elective |
| Construct blocks for garments with advanced styling | Elective |
| Construct stock size blocks for garments | Elective |
| Contribute to development of preliminary garment design concepts | Elective |
| Contribute to garment design refinement and production processes | Elective |
| Coordinate quality assurance for TCF products and services | Elective |
| Create garment patterns for individual sizes from blocks | Elective |
| Create standard-size garment patterns from existing blocks | Elective |
| Cut and sew design prototypes | Elective |
| Design and develop marketing communication plans | Elective |
| Design and produce experimental textiles | Elective |
| Design and produce knitted textile products | Elective |
| Design and produce printed textiles | Elective |
| Design bras or swimwear | Elective |
| Develop a social media strategy | Elective |
| Develop and implement business plans | Elective |
| Develop and test patterns for bras and swimwear | Elective |
| Develop digital costing markers | Elective |
| Develop marketing plans for fashion products | Elective |
| Develop merchandising plans for fashion products | Elective |
| Develop patterns using basic patternmaking principles | Elective |
| Develop product specifications for garment designs | Elective |
| Develop social media engagement plans | Elective |
| Develop standard-size patterns from existing blocks for garments with advanced styling | Elective |
| Develop textile designs using digital software | Elective |
| Develop visual merchandising creative concepts | Elective |
| Drape fabrics to make patterns | Elective |
| Edit video and audio content for social media | Elective |
| Ensure a safe workplace for a work area | Elective |
| Establish and maintain safe creative practice | Elective |
| Establish legal and risk management requirements of new business ventures | Elective |
| Evaluate fashion designs against set criteria | Elective |
| Forecast international market and business needs | Elective |
| Grade 2D patterns | Elective |
| Grade complex patterns | Elective |
| Identify and review social media and online platforms for organisational use | Elective |
| Implement visual merchandising concepts | Elective |
| Integrate colour theory and design processes | Elective |
| Investigate applications and performance outcomes of technical textiles | Elective |
| Investigate influences on contemporary garment design and construction | Elective |
| Investigate materials and processes for textile work | Elective |
| Lay up and cut complicated fabrics and lays | Elective |
| Manipulate fabrics to create new finishes | Elective |
| Monitor ethical supply chain practices | Elective |
| Participate in production planning processes | Elective |
| Perform contour draping | Elective |
| Plan and interpret market research | Elective |
| Plan and style merchandise photo shoots | Elective |
| Plan finances for new business ventures | Elective |
| Prepare and communicate design concepts for simple textile products | Elective |
| Prepare digital content | Elective |
| Prepare stencils and screens for textile printing | Elective |
| Prepare technical workplace documentation | Elective |
| Present a body of own creative work | Elective |
| Produce and analyse spreadsheets | Elective |
| Produce garment illustrations | Elective |
| Produce garments using advanced construction techniques | Elective |
| Produce knitted textile samples | Elective |
| Produce screen-printed textiles | Elective |
| Produce technical drawings of garments | Elective |
| Produce woven textile samples | Elective |
| Progress garment design concepts to production | Elective |
| Promote products and services | Elective |
| Provide global operations support | Elective |
| Refine techniques for textile work | Elective |
| Research and plan for opportunities in the TCF market | Elective |
| Research international markets | Elective |
| Sew garments | Elective |
| Specify and plan advanced construction processes | Elective |
| Undertake marketing activities | Elective |
| Use colourisation techniques on fabrics | Elective |
| Use garment sizing systems | Elective |
| Work with local and international TCF supply chains | Elective |
Job prospects
The Diploma of Apparel, Fashion and Textiles sets you up for roles like these, but the skills you learn could take you even further.
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Fashion Designer
ANZSCO 232311
Fashion Designers plan, design and develop clothing, accessories, footwear or other items of personal apparel considering the form and construction of clothing, historical styles and contexts, contemporary and cultural trends, colour, fabric, and decoration, and the techniques and processes available for manufacture.
Recommended education level:
Bachelor degree or higher -
Canvas Goods Fabricator
ANZSCO 393111
Canvas Goods Fabricators fabricate and repair canvas and related products such as awnings, tents, tarpaulins, horse rugs and caravan annexes.
Recommended education level:
Certificate III or IV -
Leather Goods Maker
ANZSCO 393112
Leather Goods Makers fabricate and repair leather articles such as wallets, cases, harnesses and saddlery.
Recommended education level:
Certificate III or IV -
Sail Maker
ANZSCO 393113
Sail Makers fabricate and repair sails and other articles from sailcloth.
Recommended education level:
Certificate III or IV -
Shoemaker
ANZSCO 393114
Shoemakers make and repair boots or shoes.
Recommended education level:
Certificate III or IV -
Apparel Cutter
ANZSCO 393211
Apparel Cutters lay out, mark and cut fabric to form parts of garments.
Recommended education level:
Certificate III or IV -
Clothing Patternmaker
ANZSCO 393212
Clothing Patternmakers draw sets of master patterns following sketches, sample articles and design specifications, and cut out patterns for garments.
Recommended education level:
Certificate III or IV -
Dressmaker and Tailor
ANZSCO 393213
Dressmakers or Tailors make, alter and repair women's and men's tailored garments, formal wear, couturier clothing, and special occasion wear such as suits, dresses, coats, evening wear and bridal wear.
Recommended education level:
Certificate III or IV -
Other Clothing Trades Worker
ANZSCO 393299
Other Clothing Trades Workers includes jobs like Milliner.
Recommended education level:
Certificate III or IV -
Upholsterer
ANZSCO 393311
Upholsterers make, rebuild and repair upholstered articles such as chairs, sofas, beds and mattresses.
Recommended education level:
Certificate III or IV -
Textile Dyeing and Finishing Machine Operator
ANZSCO 711714
Textile Dyeing and Finishing Machine Operators operate machines to bleach, dye and finish knitted garments, such as hosiery and woollen garments.
Recommended education level:
Certificate II or III
Training providers delivering Diploma of Apparel, Fashion and Textiles
It's a good idea to research multiple training providers to make sure you're getting the right training for you.
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TAFE QUEENSLAND (RTO code 0275)
Government funding
- Skills Assure Supplier
Contact this provider
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Australia Institute of Business and Technology (RTO code 41138)
Contact this provider
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Australian Institute of Fashion Design Pty Ltd (RTO code 31301)
Contact this provider
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Australian Pacific College (RTO code 90396)
Contact this provider
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TAFE NSW (RTO code 90003)
Contact this provider
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Virtu Business Institute (RTO code 40530)
Contact this provider
How to enrol in this course
To enrol, choose a training provider that offers this course. You can see provider details on this page.
When you find one that you think suits you, visit their website or contact them directly to confirm details like start dates, fees, funding, delivery locations and delivery options.
The provider will guide you through the enrolment process.
How do apprenticeships and traineeships work?
Apprenticeships and traineeships let you combine hands-on work experience with training. You’ll gain job-ready skills and earn an income while you complete a qualification.
As an apprentice or a trainee, you work with an employer while completing your training. Most of your time is spent learning on the job, with some classroom or online training to support the skills you're developing in the workplace.
For some jobs, you may need to do an apprenticeship or traineeship before you are allowed to work as a qualified tradesperson. For example, you need to do an apprenticeship if you want to work as a licensed electrician.
Find out more about apprenticeships and traineeships.
See more information about the apprenticeship or traineeship you’re interested in pursuing on the Queensland Training Information Service.
How long will this course take?
This course is competency-based training, which means you progress as you demonstrate your skills and knowledge, rather than in a set amount of time.
The duration shown here is an estimate for full-time study based on how long most people take to complete the course. You may finish earlier than other people, or it may take you a bit longer.
If you’ve already completed training or have worked in a relevant area, you could get credits or recognition of prior learning. This can reduce the training you need to complete a qualification, which could reduce the time needed for training.
Duration for apprenticeships and traineeships
Apprenticeships and traineeships take longer than doing the qualification on its own, but you learn valuable hands-on skills.
For some jobs, you may need to do an apprenticeship or traineeship before you are allowed to work as a qualified tradesperson. For example, you need to do an apprenticeship if you want to work as a licensed electrician.
Learn about how courses are delivered
Different courses have different delivery options. Consider your needs when you’re researching courses. Some courses may be delivered entirely online or partially online. Others may be delivered in a classroom.
Some courses, like those delivered through apprenticeships and traineeships, are mostly based in the workplace but with some classroom or online study.
If a certain type of delivery is important to you, talk to your provider before you enrol to make sure they offer that delivery option.
How to reduce the cost of your course
There are lots of ways you can reduce the cost of your course.
- The government could partly or fully cover the cost of your course. See information about financial help and government funding on this page.
- The government also offers funding for some costs related to your course.
- If you’ve already completed training or have worked in a relevant area, you could get a cost credit or recognition of prior learning. This can reduce the training you need to complete a qualification, which could reduce the cost.
Learn about financial help and government funding
The main cost of training is usually the course fees, which vary depending on things like which course and training provider you choose.
You may be able to get your training for free or at a reduced cost, or you could get help with paying for training-related costs. You can also pay for some courses with a VET Student Loan.
Find out more about getting help paying for your training or check if you're eligible.
What are entry requirements?
Some courses have conditions you need to meet before you can enrol in the course. They help make sure you have the right background or skills for the training.
Entry requirements might include a certain education level, skills or knowledge, work status, or experience.