Ellie's Journey at the FRA

At just 16, Ellie took a bold step towards her dream career in fashion. Growing up in a small town in North Wales, Ellie knew the traditional path after school wasn't for her. After reading glowing reviews online, she applied for the Level 3 Fashion Retail Diploma. Twice a week, Ellie made the journey to London to turn her ambitions into a reality.

Ellie's Time at the FRA

The Level 3 Fashion Retail Diploma gave Ellie hands-on experience through projects covering marketing, communication, and visual merchandising. She loved working on live briefs set by major fashion brands, where she received personalised feedback from industry professionals. These experiences helped Ellie understand what it's really like to work in the industry and boosted her confidence in her abilities.

Outside of the classroom, Ellie took on the role of Student Marketing Assistant, becoming the face of the FRA. She contributed to the FRA's TikTok channel, podcast and other marketing initiatives, sharing her journey and inspiring future students. 

continuing to Level 4 

Ellie then decided to continue her journey at the FRA with our Level 4 Fashion Buying Diploma. During her time this course, she gained valuable experience through a placement at the tech start-up Ambl, where she applied the skills she developed at the FRA in a completely new industry. 

Ellie now works full-time at Ambl and credits her time at the FRA for helping her build transferable skills, like marketing, communication and problem-solving, which have been crucial to her success.

Ellie's Highlights

Ellie's time at the FRA was packed with exciting opportunities, both inside and outside the classroom, including:

• Working with major brands on live projects and receiving personalised feedback from industry experts
• Becoming the face of FRA as the Student Marketing Assistant, contributing to the FRA's TikTok channel, podcast and marketing campaigns
• Representing the FRA at events and networking with professionals, which helped her grow her confidence and connections

With partnerships with over 250 industry brands, the FRA gave Ellie real-world experiences, practical skills and a professional network that prepared her for a successful career.

Hear from Ellie herself about her journey at the FRA:

About the Level 3 Fashion Retail Diploma

The Level 3 Fashion Retail Diploma is a two-year, fully funded course for 16-18 year olds. It introduces students to the diverse career paths within the fashion industry, covering topics like:

• Fashion retail management
• Communications
• Visual merchandising

This course builds a strong foundation in fashion retail, preparing students for further education or entry-level roles in both creative and business-focused areas of the industry.

About the Level 4 Fashion buying Diploma

The Level 4 Fashion Buying Diploma provides students with the knowledge and experience needed to succeed in roles like a Buyer's Admin Assistant. The course covers:

• Sourcing fabrics, garments and suppliers globally
• Collaborating with merchandisers to design range plans that maximise sales and profits
• Forecasting trends to predicting future market needs

This programme combines academic study with practical experience, helping you gain the skills needed for a successful career in buying or related fields.