For many years, the onus of educating employees in the fashion industry was primarily that of the employer. Firstly, the industry relied heavily on women and because higher education was not generally available to them, companies had to train them with the skills they needed to do their jobs. Secondly, most fashion companies were family run businesses and relied on local workers, so the training happened naturally on the job. Thirdly, fashion required specialized skills related to merchandising, buying, production and retailing. And because each company had their own approach or style, companies benefited from training employees according to their particular needs. As companies grew, these programs expanded to be more formal, with the likes of Macy’s offering full training programs and certifications. In fact, early fashion schools such as the Fashion Institute of Technology built their two-year certifications on matriculating students into these types of programs. 

While some of these corporate programs persist, their fundamental approach (and need) shifted once fashion education became fully integrated into undergraduate degree programs at universities. The onus for training employees shifted from the employer to the university. To a degree, this helped to provide a more consistent foundation in terms of knowledge and skills. And it provided students with a more 360 degree view of the industry beyond a specific job they were training for, along with better soft skills, such as collaboration and communication. But, it also meant that students were learning less hard skills, creating a chasm between what was learned in college versus what was needed on the job. 

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