Why a foundation year was the best choice for me

Learn about Anna’s journey from foundation year to BA, and the support and experience she gained along the way!

How has your foundation year benefited you?

The foundation year was of great benefit to me because I hadn’t done any kind of sewing qualification since GCSE and I’ve never really done anything in art. So, having a year to build and play with those skills was excellent and set me up for the first year of my BA. I would describe my foundation year as interesting, challenging and fun.

In what ways has your foundation year prepared you for your first year?

My foundation year prepared me in a practical way as it meant I was used to a lot of the facilities and teaching staff, making the first year easier to settle into. I learnt several skills that I can apply in the workplace too, such as teamwork and time management, using the time given during class to complete tasks while having the tutor and other students around to give feedback was a real asset.

Can you please explain some of the workshops you undertook in FY and why they were interesting?

We had workshops that span a lot of the possible fashion fields because the class interest was so diverse. I think the most interesting aspect for me was the print and embroidery workshops because once we learned the machines, we were able to use them as soon as we wanted on our own projects. Meaning that there was a quick turnover in trust for us to be as creative as we wanted.

What support did you receive in your FY?

I would say the main support was the ability to regularly talk to and have work checked by the tutors. There were chances every week to express concerns or ask questions which were helpful especially because a lot of the tasks I’d never done before. Also, support with fashion illustration, it’s a big part of the fashion design course so having a chance to begin in foundation year was helpful for me as someone who’d never done it before.

Now you’re in the first year of your BA do you have any future plans? Such as projects or places you would like to gain work experience?

The only goal I have now is to gain as much experience in and out of uni as possible, I’ve applied for a few work placements over the summer. Equally, I’m looking at what I can be inducted into at uni that would allow me to create something for myself. Berets maybe.

What piece of advice would you give a prospective student who is looking to apply to the foundation course, that you wish you were told?

My advice would be to use the year as an opportunity to play and be as creative as possible, without too much pressure. It allows you to try something different and explore new ways of working because you do a bit of everything. All the fashion students being mixed together means that you hear a lot of different opinions and ways of working that helped me to expand my thought processes and visions.