The Dressmaker I, Curriculum is designed to prepare trainees to acquire the necessary
competencies to perform tasks expected of graduates at KNQF Level 4 leading to award of
National Skills Certificate II. The Curriculum outlines the instructional areas, appropriate
methods of carrying out the activities and suggested assessment methods for all the topics.
Great emphasis is placed on competence acquisition and the trainers are encouraged to
simulate industrial processes in the training.
The training programme is based on the descriptors of the KNQF level 4. It aims at
producing workers who can apply integrated technical and theoretical concepts in a broad
range of contexts to undertake advanced skilled or paraprofessional work and as a
pathway for further learning. Graduates at this level will acquire technical, theoretical
knowledge and concepts, with depth in some areas within a field of work and learning. In
terms of skills, the graduate should demonstrate acquisition of cognitive, technical and
communication skills to identify, analyse, synthesize and act on information from a range of
sources and to plan, design and evaluate unpredictable problems and/or management
requirements; and specialist technical and creative skills to express ideas and perspectives.
They should also have the ability to transfer knowledge and specialized skills to others.
At the end of the training graduates should be able to transfer and apply theoretical
concepts and/or technical and/or creative skills in a range of situations with personal
responsibility and autonomy in performing complex technical operations with
responsibility for own outputs in relation to broad parameters for quantity and quality.
They should also demonstrate initiative and judgment to organize the work of self and
others and evaluate the work of teams within broad but generally well-defined parameters.
The major areas of competency at this level include design, interpretation of given design,
drafting of patterns, laying out patterns on a variety of fabrics/materials, cutting and
assembly of fashionable intricate ladies formal, casual and occasional garments using a
variety of fabrics. These areas of competence are based on the skills set outlined in the QP
and NOS for Dressmaker I. The Dressmaker I course is aimed at empowering workers by
equipping them with the necessary skills to improve their productivity and to give them
power to negotiate for better terms in their places of work. I appeal to all stakeholders
especially the training providers and employers to ensure effective implementation of the
Dressmaker I Curriculum
- Teacher: Austine Mbaja