S.T.A.R. FOR FASHION course
Level of language proficiency required
Knowledge of English at least at ALTE1 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
Description
The professional figure that comes from combining the will to invest in quality, the need to promote the territory and the textile manufacturing of excellence, is that of an evolved technician, able to oversee commercial tools, appropriate to the textile product and the markets of reference, also having specific skills in product and process and technical-qualitative innovation. STAR trains new professionals who are able to provide proactive support to managers and entrepreneurs involved in the preparation of marketing and communication plans for fashion textile products, studying their positioning in a specific market segment through sector analysis, benchmarking and research into trends and the potential offered by new digital media. The technician prepares, manages and controls the sales plan for fashion products, monitoring customer satisfaction, using the English language fluently (controlling both technical and commercial terminology). The figure in question also has in-depth specific skills in the product and supply chain of the Prato district; he understands the technological innovations applied to fabrics and knows how to “enhance” innovative and technological research applied to textile products also in an eco-sustainable key.
The path in question is the result of several “solicitations” coming from the main stakeholders of the territory and of the Prato textile district, as well as a careful analysis of the data concerning the production and market trends of the fashion textile supply chain for the coming years. From the group of companies belonging to the textile producers sector of the Fashion System section of Confindustria Toscana Nord, it emerged that there is a strong need for technical figures with distinctive and specific skills in the field of the sale and marketing of textile products, but also with adequate and in-depth knowledge of quality, the textile supply chain and regulations related to sustainability.
Duration (internship and teaching hours)
1200 hours in the classroom and 800 hours of internship.
Detailed breakdown of ECTS credits for each single teaching unit
On the basis of the teaching regulations of Universities, training credits of the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) of the teaching modules carried out in the course may be recognised. In this regard, please refer to the implementing decree pursuant to article 14, paragraph 3, of Law no. 240 of 30th December 2010.
Final vote
The training course ends with a final examination to verify the skills acquired. This verification, certification and recognition of training credits are carried out in accordance with the provisions of the MIUR Note. AOODGOSV. REGISTRO UFFICIALE (U). 0006114.06-06-2016. Students who have attended the Course for at least 80% of the total number of hours and who have been positively assessed in the intermediate tests, including the internship activity, will be admitted to the final exams. Certification of the skills acquired is guaranteed even in the event of failure to complete the training course.
Professional profile of the person completing the course of study
The Higher Technician envisaged by the project finds employment in companies in the textile manufacturing sector, but also in consultancy and marketing studios in the area of reference. The desire to make the Prato district more and more competitive and to guarantee manufacturing excellence figures to replace generations of technical experts not only in the production of textile products, but also experts in the promotion and sale of quality textile products, is confirmed by sector studies and export trends. Companies in the local context and not only, therefore, need a figure who can guarantee actions for the development of quality and technical innovation intrinsic to the textile product. In addition to this, in the Prato district avant-garde manufacturers are working to massively introduce the 4.0 industry paradigm, applying it to technical innovation and research. The technician in question will combine skills related to the promotion and sale of the product with specific knowledge of technological innovation and industry 4.0 themes. The development of a significant part of the contents of the training units in English will allow the acquisition of a greater lexical autonomy in the performance of the roles assumed within the production realities.
Course costs and availability of scholarships
The participation fee for the course is € 1,000.00 (one thousand/00) total as a contribution to the cost of teaching materials and consumables (photocopies, personal protective equipment, educational visits, etc.). The Foundation reserves the right to make available 3 scholarships, intended as partial reimbursement of documented expenses for board and lodging, for students who successfully complete the course and who reside more than 50 km from the course venue. The amount of the grant and the selection criteria, linked to income and merit, will be established by special calls for proposals that will be issued before the end of the course.
Eligibility criteria and selection procedure
- Age between 18 and 30 years of age;
- Holders of a Secondary Education Diploma or who have attended a four-year course of vocational technical education and training (in Italian, IEFP – Istruzione e Formazione Tecnica Professionale) supplemented by a 1-year course of higher technical education and training (in Italian, IFTS – Istruzione e Formazione Tecnica Superiore);
- Knowledge of English at least at ALTE1 level of the Common European Framework of reference for knowledge of languages (CEFR) which will be ascertained at the time of selection;
- Adequate level of “computer literacy”;
- Use of word processing and spreadsheets at basic level;
- The following characteristics will be considered as priorities:
- Young people at risk of exclusion (NEET young people, i.e. who do not study, do not work and do not carry out training activities);
- Age (priority to younger subjects);
- Equal opportunities (priority to women).
Those who have submitted an application for admission in the manner described above, and who meet the requirements of this notice, will be admitted to the selection tests for admission to the course. The list of those admitted to the selection tests will be published exclusively on the Fondazione MITA website ( www.mitacademy.it ).
Main contents of the didactic program
- The value of Made in Italy in fashion
- Textile culture and enhancement of the territory
- Organisation of the supply chain in the Prato textile district
- Safety and prevention in the company
- Statistics and mathematics
- Principles of organisation and labour law
- Elements of business economics and industrial accounting
- Informatics
- Technical English
- Project management
- Problem setting, problem solving
- Tools and techniques for managing interpersonal relationships and basic communication
- Made in management (positioning and purchasing policy)
- Commercial management in the company: tools and techniques for building a sales plan
- Advanced communication aimed at sales and customer satisfaction
- Time management
- statistics applied to sales data analysis and customer management
- Sustainability and green approach to textile production
- Quality – reference standard
- LCA – Life-Cycle Assessment
- Industry 4.0 for textiles