Jessica Naylor

Tell us a bit about yourself and your background.

I’m quite a creative person, so I think my Fashion Marketing and Communication course is really well-suited to me! I’ve always had an interest in design, so studying fashion caught my eye – I think it’s from growing up in a very fashion-based city, since I was born in Paris and lived there until I was six.  

How did you hear about Newcastle College? Did you attend an Open Day prior to starting at the College? If so, did you find it useful?

In Year 11, my high school teachers talked to me about my skills, strengths and interests, and then directed me to consider this course at Newcastle College. The College was the only real institution that we were encouraged to come to after GCSEs, and now I’m here I can see why! When I attended an Open Event, I met some current students who talked to me about the course and took some time to get to know me personally, so I really enjoyed the experience and felt like this was the perfect place for me to study. 

What made you decide to come to the College and enrol on your chosen course?

I had a face-to-face meeting with a student during my Open Event, who talked to me in-depth about everything I wanted to study and which courses would be most suitable to me. Based on that chat, I did a bit more research about the Fashion Marketing and Communication programme on the website, which I thought was really informative without being overwhelming. The course information balanced out the chance to be creative with the basic workload of writing and learning, so I thought it was very well-balanced.  

How would you describe the advice and support you've received from the College staff and your tutors? Have you had any support from our Central Support Service?

I’ve never needed pastoral support from the College, but my tutors always check in to see if there are any issues. 

Do you have any tutors with industry experience? If so, how has this helped you?

One of my tutors studied Fine Art at university, so her experience in the creative industry means she’s still pushing her craft, and uses that to challenge me to be better and develop my artistry however I want. She understands what the industry looks for, and encourages us to always push the envelope, which is obviously really important on an art-based course! Thanks to her, I go further out of my comfort zone with every theme I’m given, which I think will make me a better fashion professional because of it. 

Have you overcome any challenges while on your course? If so, how has the College helped you to overcome them?

I’d say my course is quite challenging on the whole, because we’re always being pushed (nicely!) to improve ourselves and our skills however we can. This usually means that my project submissions are massive because I’ve tried to explore so many elements, so trying to trim them down is tricky, but my teachers are always willing to help me find a solution, even if they’re just sitting down with me and talking me through a submission process. 

We’re given a few projects to work on, but we break out with different ideas. For a recent project, I was given the theme ‘It’s Grim Up North’, from which I based my projects around Brown Ale, since it links back to the region’s culture and history. I used my project to explore addiction, to see what factors make people addicted and how they try to combat an addiction, researching what goes into it. The Brown Ale theme was also really symbolic for the North, since it’s brewed here and is treated almost as a point of pride – you can walk around Newcastle in particular and see the star everywhere, so I really wanted to dive into that. 

What do you enjoy the most about your course?

I most enjoy seeing how I’ve developed, actually! When I look back over my work since I started my course, I can see how my work’s developed over the months and years, from first gaining the knowledge to getting useful experience and implementing the recommended structures from my tutors on my course, so I just see my work get better and better, step by step. I can also see where I’ve worked out my own style, so my projects flow together more easily and it becomes clearer that everything you’re seeing from a certain point is all my own work.  

How do you feel that the course is benefitting you?

My course has built up my skills and knowledge for my future career. It’s also made me realise how much I enjoy the marketing modules of my programme, because marketing is really gaining importance in the fashion industry, so it’s important to have those skills for my future. I enjoy promoting a product and seeing why an audience reacts to it in a certain way, since that helps me to understand what will catch their eye psychologically. 

Have you done any work experience or a work placement as part of your course?

Through my course, I’ve secured a work experience placement as an Editorial Assistant at Darkus Magazine. Since I’ve only just turned 18, my placement has just started, but I’m enjoying what I’ve learnt so far by reading through magazines and articles for key themes and sense-checking. I’m really looking forward to gaining more behind-the-scenes experience in the fashion marketing industry. 

What would you like to do when you finish your course? Would you consider studying a degree at Newcastle College University Centre?

Once I finish my Level 3 course, I want to go to Northumbria University to study their Marketing degree. I did consider coming to Newcastle College University Centre, because I feel really supported and comfortable here, thanks in part to the smaller class sizes, and I know that my tutors are always on hand to provide additional support if I need it. However, I prefer the course at Northumbria because it is focused purely on marketing, which I think will benefit my career more in the long run. 

What are your ambitions for the future?

I want to go to university, build my experience and skillset and then launch my own sportwear fashion business, with a goal to later expand it to an on-site gym and lifestyle classes! To me, sportswear marketing is really popular now because becoming a fitter version of yourself is trending, but I feel the major sportswear brands either recycle old ideas or copy each other, so their clothing designs are all pretty basic. I’d like to launch a range of clothing which targets people like me, who have a more outgoing, maximalist style, so I think there’s a really audience for this product!

What would you say to anyone thinking of studying a course with Newcastle College?

Do it! Studying here will give you the amazing opportunity to study something you’re passionate about and develop your skills in that area, instead of taking a few different subjects that you might not love as much. Newcastle College will make sure you’re on the right track and they’ll do everything they can to support you and make sure you enjoy your time here.  

What are your top tips for being a student at Newcastle College?

Choose carefully – make sure the course you study will be something you enjoy. 

Stay focused – when you’re studying a course you love, it’s so much easier to stay focused because the curriculum is tailored to what you like, and staying focused is really important because it sets you up well for your future career! 

Talk to whoever you can – if you’re on the fence about anything, do your research, message students who are already on the course and get their advice on what you might like about the course.