'Fashion businesses want immediate contributions': An FIT professor's take on the 'challenging' fashion labor market

About this episode

The episode discusses the challenges facing new graduates entering the fashion industry amid a tough labor market.

The last year has seen the U.S. labor market enter a challenging position. Layoffs at major companies like Amazon, Microsoft and Verizon have put more people out of work while costs of living are rising. The fashion industry wasn't spared. Saks Global is laying off 16% of its workforce, and other major fashion brands, like H&M and Nike, have made staff cuts. For people just entering the fashion industry, it's a daunting proposition. On this week's Glossy Podcast, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi spoke with Keith Fraley, a professor of fashion business management, about the challenges facing new graduates and others seeking entry-level roles in the fashion industry. One of the biggest changes Fraley has seen is that the training period for new employees is much shorter than it used to be. "The businesses are expecting immediate contribution from their new hires," Fraley said. "And before you can contribute, you need to show that you know what the job entails, that you understand how the business makes money, because they want to see people making an impact in their role relatively quickly after they're hired." Fraley has seen far more students who are interested in the…

People in this episode

Host: Danny Parisi

Guest: Keith Fraley

Topics covered

• fashion labor market
• entry-level roles
• training period
• business expectations
• creative side of fashion
• job market challenges

Keywords

• fashion industry
• labor market
• new graduates
• employment challenges
• business management
• creative roles
• job training

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Saks Global, Amazon, Microsoft, Verizon, H&M, Nike

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