Alice gets a shot at world glory

"I've been creative ever since I was younger, and I have been interested in sewing since my grandmother passed her skills onto me. I prefer working hands-on with physical things," explained Alice.

"I've also worked in costume design in a community theatre setting since I was 13, so fashion is where my interests in creative arts and fashion perfectly intersect."

While being home-schooled during high school, Alice studied fashion through TAFE at School via the Home Education Department.

Studying the Certificate II in Applied Fashion Design and Technology (MST20616), she learned fashion basics from garment and pattern creation, sewing designs, and drawing fashion sketches in a simulated workroom using industrial sewing machines and equipment.

"TAFE at School laid the groundwork for studying the Diploma of Applied Fashion Design and Merchandising (MST50119)."

"I enjoyed learning advanced fashion skills from my wonderful teachers while meeting new people and making great friends. It set me up well."

"I loved how connected it all was - especially when it came to the final two semesters of the diploma. Everything was interconnected, and all the subjects built on each other."

Also helping Alice to learn the specialised skills and knowledge she needs to flourish within the design, manufacturing, wholesale or retail areas of the fashion industry was the Fashion Centre of Excellence.

"They spent a lot of money on the facilities, and it's excellent to learn in a simulated workplace environment using the same equipment as we would in the industry."

"It also means I'm well set up to go into WorldSkills and know what I'm doing. I know many other fashion programs don't have this, so I'm very grateful for that."

Competing in the WorldSkills Australia National Championships will see Alice travel to Melbourne to face off against competitors from every state and territory.

She will have an eight-hour timeframe to complete nine different design tasks, including empire or waist, gathers or pleats, and then symmetrical or asymmetrical gown creation.

"By the end of the competition, I'll have a fully completed dress that's technically designed to the point that it could be given to a manufacturer for them to make it to your specifications."

Her teacher, Carol Costa, is helping to get her competition ready. She's been training at the Fashion Centre of Excellence three days per week for the past six months, further refining her skills.

"I come in, practice variations on my designs, get everything finalised, and I know what I need to do by making them repeatedly," she explained.

Alice is now looking forward to competing against the best from each state and territory WorldSkills Australia National Championships in Melbourne, hoping to make the national team represent Australia at the International Competition in Lyon, France, in 2024.

The national competition is a three-day event where more than 500 young people drawn from 34 regions across Australia come together to vie for the title of WorldSkills Australia National Champion in their chosen trade.

She credits Carol's industry talents, experience, and passion for giving her the confidence to go for gold by volunteering her time to train her for the competition while furthering her knowledge and skills.

"I'm pretty confident. I'm not a very anxious person, not about this kind of thing, and I'm just happy to be going - it's going to be a good thing to do," concluded Alice.