Students’ perspectives of work experience : inquiring into a fashion design and merchandising career preparation program

• Main Author: Ho, Nina Pei-Yun
• Language: English
• Published: 2009
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/9654

Career preparation programs in British Columbia high schools have gained prominence in the last decade and as a career preparation teacher for Fashion Design and Merchandising, I began to wonder what motivates students to participate in such programs. Most published literature on career preparation programs have focused on benefits to education and industry, but few of these studies look at work experience from the students' perspectives. This thesis gives voice to nine students' perspectives in a Fashion Design and Merchandising Career Preparation Program's work experience placements. Career preparation programs are an explicit linkage between high school and postsecondary studies. The work experience component of career programs has allowed students to work in a variety of work placements within the fashion industry, thus providing insights into the various careers available within this diverse industry. Work experience enables schools to access facilities and resources in the community that provide students with experiences they otherwise might not have. Work experience is the bridge between school and the work world. The nine student participants are my students and I have a very close relationship with them. Visiting students during their work experience placements and getting their reactions is part of my regular teaching duties as a work experience supervisor teacher. As I visited the students during their placements, I hoped to gain some insights into what motivates students to participate in work experience programs. What do they perceive is the purpose of work experience and do work experience placements meet their expectations? I collected their impressions through formal interviews, which were tape recorded, as well as informal conversations, classroom discussions, journal entries and students' work experience information logs. The data are presented as descriptive narratives, is important for pedagogy because it functions as experiential case material on which pedagogic reflection is possible. All nine students in the study found participation in work experience to be very beneficial and they gave many positive reasons for participating in work experience. Prior to their work experience, only three of the nine students had part-time jobs. The students felt that they developed many relevant skills such as occupational-specific skills, self-reliance and employability skills working with professionals in this program. They have gained insight, knowledge and first hand experience about the apparel industry through working with professionals. Implications are drawn for improving the program and for further research.