JD Institute of Fashion Technology: An interaction with Ms. Akshra Dalal (Director)

Established in the year 1988, JD Institute of Fashion Technology Delhi is a private co-educational institution The institute provides the innovative and advanced diploma undergraduate, postgraduate and short term courses in Jewelry Design, Fashion, Interior Design, Visual Merchandising, Fashion Communication, Make-Up Artistry, Pattern Making Technology and more. JD Institute of Fashion Technology Delhi also provides placement and scholarship opportunities to students. The institute collaborates with many organizations for the benefit of students. Careers360 in this interview with Ms. Akshra Dalal, Director JD Institute of Fashion Technology. In her interview Ms. Akshra Dalal shares various details about the JD Institute of Fashion Technology courses and fees, vision, mission, admission process, placements, facilities, etc. Ms. Akshra has also answered students' queries related to JD Institute of Fashion Technology student life. To know more about JD Institute of Fashion Technology Delhi go through the complete interview of Ms. Akshra Dalal with Careers360.

Careers360: Tell us something about the institute; when it was set up, vision and mission.

Answer: With 35 years of leading the design industry, JD Institute of Fashion Technology is one of the oldest premium institutions in India that has created an ecosystem where learners can flourish and excel in the field of design.

Established in 1988, with 40+ campuses all across India and market dominance in all metropolitan cities, the institute also caters to thousands of design aspirants in tier 2 and tier 3 cities. As an Institution, JD prides itself in providing the most innovative and advanced courses in Fashion, Interior Design, Jewellery Design, Fashion Communication, Visual Merchandising, Make-Up Artistry offered by the industry in an extremely imaginative, experimental, and supportive environment guided by the Eminent Experts from the respective industries.

The Institute’s Mission is to make design education accessible to individuals who are passionate about the subject. We believe design does not function in vacuum, hence the curriculum includes interdisciplinary projects and also motivates students to look beyond and create universal prototypes. We are committed to moulding each individual at par with their global counterparts by providing the latest industry-oriented global programs, cutting-edge techniques/ infrastructure, advanced facilities, and a resource library to help young aspirants construct their way ahead to give shape to their unique Imagination with help from the leading industry experts.

The Institute’s Vision

A good design makes civilisation efficient, a responsible design makes civilisation evolve and a bad design challenges the very same civilisation. It is amazing how everything we touch, see, and engage with is designed. The institution aims to educate young minds about these differences and to explore how design could improve our surroundings through structured learning. We were one of the first to bring design education to Indian shores and we expect to be the first to make India a design capital because first is what JD does.

Careers360: Tell us something about the admission process?

Answer: In order to secure admission in UG and PG courses offered by JD Institute of Fashion Technology, aspirants need to appear for General Aptitude Test (GAT). To appear for GAT, candidates should familiarise themselves with the latest design trends in their respective discipline. JD Institute of Fashion Technology admission to these courses is based on aptitude, artistic sense, career focus and the spark of creativity. On successfully clearing the GAT (General Aptitude Test) / Personal Interview, the applicants will get their result in stipulated time through their registered email Id and they will be expected to reserve their seat by paying the registration amount in 3 working days.

Careers360: What kind of infrastructure can students expect at the institute? Please elaborate?

Answer: In accordance with JD Institute’s promise of imparting education that makes their students ready for the industry, the campus is well equipped with labs and resource centres for every course.

We provide every course/department with different facilities. For fashion course students, we provide patternmaking labs, draping labs, textile labs, and garment construction labs. Whereas, for the interior design courses, we have provided them with a well-equipped resource centre where they can learn about various joinery and electrical and plumbing. Our resource centre and studio for the Interior Design batch have given the students the space to unleash their creativity.

Spacious, well-ventilated, and fully air-conditioned studios are present for the makeup and interior design course. The students enrolled in our fashion courses can get hands-on experience in our fully functional labs. The presence of best-of-class sewing machines aids the product development stage for various projects. Apart from the latest machinery, the labs for fashion courses also have the mannequins and fabric (muslin, cotton, etc) yardage present.

Classrooms with high-speed internet and projectors make sure our students can get the best out of every lecture. We believe safety comes first and adhering to that belief, we have strategically placed fire extinguishers and have a dedicated first-aid section.

JD Institute Of Fashion Technology always motivates its students to realise their true potential and reinforce their entrepreneurial spirit with the right guidance. Our incubation centre is committed to assisting budding entrepreneurs in developing their business and solving problems associated with it, especially in the initial stages of the proposed venture by providing an array of advisory sessions, business, and technical services.

Careers360: There is a lot of stress that is being made with regard to interaction with the industry as well as companies that recruit. What are the steps being taken by the institute in this direction?

Answer: The institute consistently implements measures to promote the holistic development of students, aiming to mitigate student stress during the recruitment process and their professional careers. This is achieved through a series of ongoing workshops and sessions that emphasise confidence building, time management, verbal and written communication skills, business etiquette, power dressing, and fine dining etiquette. These initiatives are designed to equip students with the necessary skills to navigate day-to-day challenges in the industry and maintain a healthy work-life balance.

In addition to the workshops and sessions, students are also provided with comprehensive training to excel in the recruitment process. This includes resume building sessions to help them craft impressive resumes, group discussion sessions to hone their communication and collaboration skills, and mock interview sessions to prepare them for real-world interviews. These preparatory initiatives are aimed at ensuring that students are well-equipped and confident to face the challenges of the recruitment process with competence and professionalism, setting them up for success in their future careers.

Careers360: Internships are now mandatory as per AICTE guidelines. Does the institute help students with this? If yes, how?

Answer: The institute places a strong emphasis on not just academic excellence, but also on providing students with exposure through internships and volunteering opportunities. Both undergraduate and postgraduate students are required to complete a 2-month industrial internship during their final semester. We have established partnerships with renowned fashion and interior designers, such as Namrata Joshipura, Dhruv Vash, Rashmi Chhabra, Jigar Mali in the fashion industry, and Manjeet Bhullar, Chandrika Sahay, Nash Thadani, Lubna Siddiqui in interior designing, who offer internships to our students.

In addition to internships, our students also have the opportunity to volunteer with brands like Monte Carlo and Blackberry, where they can participate in trade shows and fashion shows. These experiential learning opportunities allow our students to gain practical insights and real-world experience in their chosen fields, preparing them for successful careers in the fashion and interior design industries.

Careers360:Can you please share details if there is any collaboration with universities abroad?

Answer: JD Institute of Fashion Technology is the first Indian Design institute to start Fashion and Design programs in London. But then ‘firsts’ is what JD has been about since 1988, when the institute became the first initiative in fashion education by a private player, twenty-seven trailblazing years later, firsts continue. JD Global provides the students with an opportunity to study at the London College of Fashion and Chelsea School of Design Campus, University of the Arts, London through our collaborative initiative.

Careers360: Please share placement statistics with information on the average package, highest and lowest package, number of students placed and details of companies that have recruited.

Answer: The graduating students from our institute have been achieving impressive career outcomes, with an average annual package of Rs 3 LPA, the highest package being Rs 4.25 LPA, and the lowest at Rs 1.80 LPA. In the year 2022, around 60 students participated in the on-campus JD Institute of Fashion Technology placement drive, and approximately 65% of them successfully secured placements from the campus.

Our campus has attracted renowned companies such as Reliance Retail brand Ltd, Aditya Birla Fashion Retail Ltd, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, as well as esteemed designers like Ritu Kumar, Shantanu and Nikhil, and Abraham and Thakur, who have recruited our students. These placements reflect the recognition of our students' skills and talents by industry leaders, further validating the quality of education and training provided at our institute.

Disclaimer: This content was distributed by JD Institute of Fashion Technology and has been published as part of Careers360’s marketing initiative.

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