07 Jun June ‘Learner’s Voice’ Session with FCDW Stitching Students

On 6th June Lan Leeder, Head of Education at the FTA, held a ‘Learner’s Voice’ session with the latest cohort of Level 1 and 2 students that have just finished their Stitching and Pattern courses. 

With the FTA’s Stitching courses being held at the FC Designer Workspace, it is essential to receive honest feedback in order to maintain high standards and for the students to gain the most out of the learning experience. Feedback asked; what went well and what can be improved, along with providing students with next steps advice and quality IAG (information, advice and guidance).

The feedback from this session included:

What went well? 

EE: I learn new things daily and feel very productive being here.

ED: I enjoyed the quilting and baby T-shirt tasks; good teachers here. 

MH: The resource folder is very helpful. I like the working environment, i.e., the Pattern in a factory and the Stitching at the Workspace; the learning seems more real. 

CY: I like how you can personalise the units. For example, I made my own soft furnishings.

AM: Lovely and friendly ambience. Everyone is friendly. 

What could be improved? 

AM: More specialist machines, i.e. there is one buttonhole machine and cover stitch, so we have to wait.

All: We need a digital platform where pre-recorded videos, photos, and resources are kept so we can access them in class. 

Would you recommend the course? 

All Pattern and Stitching: All said yes.

Lan concluded the meeting by thanking everyone for their participation. We then had a brief discussion to go over the findings with Ana and Manuela. There were no major issues that needed to be addressed. The team is aware that resources need to be updated during the summer break. For example, Stitching needs new pattern templates. 

The students were generally satisfied with the course and the teaching. Many positive feedback and compliments indicated their appreciation for the teachers and the course. They enjoyed the friendly atmosphere and vibe, especially in a practical working environment such as the Factory and the FC Designer Workspace, which made the learning experience more real.

FEL CEO Jenny Holloway added: “At the FTA we can only maintain ‘best in class’ by constantly listening to the learners voice and ensuring we’re updating not only the curriculum but also enriching the learning experience. 

“Having a £300k Fashion AI suite with Style3D, FC Designer Workspace designers that showcase at London Fashion Week, along with having the backdrop of an ethical factory means our training provision is unique. Coming from an educational background whereby I failed my 11 plus made me realise that there are more opportunities in life than being academically gifted. There’s a strong and growing place for vocational skills and with the recent increased demand for sewing skills the FTA is a perfect place to learn.”