SERC Newtownards students spread the positivity of sustainability

SERC students from the Retail Traineeship, Skills for Work, and Skills for Life and Work courses at the Newtownards Campus recently hosted two pop-up stands - ‘Suited and Booted’ and a ‘Student Shop’ Christmas stall as part of their retail study units. The students aimed to raise awareness of the importance of sustainability, work towards their project-based learning (PBL) and collect money in support of North Down Christian Fellowship Church (CFC).

Students from the Level 2 Retail Traineeship and Level 1 Skills for Life and Work course contributed to ‘Suited and Booted’ - SERC’s sustainable clothing campaign. It operates across Bangor, Newtownards, Downpatrick, and Lisburn campuses, acting as part of the college’s ‘Go Green’ initiative. ‘Suited and Booted’ is available to all students to avail of a range of suitable, high-quality clothing, perfect for work or job interviews, and is completely free of charge. The initiative aims to reduce the need for fast fashion by allowing the students to either keep or return the items so that someone else can make use of them, promoting sustainability in a bid to be more environmentally friendly.

At the stall, the students had the opportunity to meet and greet students, and offer advice on the range of clothing, all while working towards their PBL. The students developed their transversal, visual merchandising, and customer service skills as required by their courses.

A group of students from Level 3 Skills for Work set up a small ‘Student Shop’ selling handmade gifts created by the class, along with donated items from student companies, including Cutting Edge. The students gained valuable experience as part of their City & Guilds Level 1 Certificate in Retail Skills unit, whilst raising more than £50 in support of the work of North Down CFC’s project ‘The Warehouse’, which offers support services to the local community who are experiencing crisis.

Marie McAlinden, Curriculum manager, Retail and Training and Development spoke on Suited and Booted, saying:

“The College has created a sustainable fashion initiative, Suited and Booted, allowing SERC students to combat fast fashion by borrowing or taking pre-loved clothes for interview. A significant digital promotion strategy has been developed; however, we’d like to see more students making use of the service."

“As part of project-based learning, and to develop their T Skills, L2 Retail Traineeship students were tasked with developing a visual merchandising strategy to increase student use of Suited and Booted. The trainees were excited to make use of this pop-up stand opportunity as it fitted in a visual merchandising unit they are completing as part of their course.”

“Students from Level 1 Skills for Life and Work also helped on the day by helping to set up the stand, model clothing and meet students as part of their retail knowledge module. The students gained valuable skills and expertise as part of their PBL and enjoyed the opportunity to work alongside the Level 2 trainees.”

Sharon Castles, Skills for Work tutor, commented on the ‘Student Shop’ saying:

“I decided that my class of students from Level 3 Skills for Work could open a pop-up shop as part of their PBL by creating and decorating their own Christmas gift ideas. We were supported by many generous donations from ceramics students and Cutting Edge, which the students priced and then sold to raise money for North Down CFC’s Warehouse project. This is a charity which supports many people in the Newtownards area, and which SERC has supported previously; the students were delighted to raise over £50 to further assist them. Well done to the students for their hard work."