Explore Vocational Interior Design and Visual Merchandising

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Hello, welcome. My name is Anni Juracich, and I'm a Program Manager in the Design and Technology disciplines here at RMIT. Today, I'm going to tell you a bit about our RMIT Suite of Interior Design and Visual Merchandising Programs. I'll explain some of the key learning outcomes of each program, the structure of the programs, and the kinds of projects you can expect to work on as a student. It's my privilege to be part of a vibrant design and technology community at RMIT, and I'd love to welcome you to one of our programs.

On behalf of RMIT University, I would like to acknowledge the people of the Woiwurrung and Boonwurrung language groups of the Eastern Kulin Nation, on whose unceded lands, we conduct the business of the university. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their ancestors and elders past and present. We also acknowledge the traditional custodians and their ancestors of the land and waters across Australia, where we conduct our business. Wominjeka to RMIT, a place where you'll continue to learn using a skilled hand and a cultivated mind. Both the Diploma of Interior Design and the Diploma of Visual Merchandising, focus on the visual communication and translation of ideas into physical practical outcomes in response to a design brief.

I know responding to a design brief sounds a little formal, but it's really important for you to learn how to respond to a client's brief. It's key to what you do as an interior designer or as a visual merchandiser. Let's take a look at that in more detail. Over two years, students in the Diploma of Interior Design, learn applied skills and knowledge 2-D and 3-D design communication and documentation skills. These are supported by applied skills in specifications of materials and finishes. Projects in the diploma are themed around developing design concepts with an exploration into color, materials and finishes, interior construction techniques, soft furnishings, fabric, and furniture. These are based on historical and contemporary styles and trends and the digital documentation of these projects. This skills or knowledge you learn in the diploma of visual merchandising will assist you to flourish in the global and fast pace world of visual merchandising.

The major emphasis of this course is the design and production of commercial displays and the development of a folio of work that prepares you for employment and a highly successful career as a creative individual. You will design develop and create displays using advanced construction and presentation techniques that use color, lighting, space, photography, digital technologies, sensory inputs, and interactive installation. This course prepares you for a career. Start again. This course prepares you for a creative career as a visual merchandiser or display designer in the retail, events, exhibition and styling industries. ATAR and prerequisites are not applicable for these courses. Please refer to the RMIT website or VTech Guide for information on the selection task for each program. In addition to the information on the slide, from the Diploma of Interior Design, you can pathway into the Associate Degree and or the Bachelor Honors. There is also a Certificate IV of Interior Decoration, which could lead you into the Diploma of Interior Design or the Associate Degree. All these pathways have credits for prior qualifications. It's best to check with each program for more details.

Visual Merchandising has many feeder programs. Students completing the diploma also go on to study graphic design, fashion, and textile merchandising, interior design and photography. You can gain entry into the diploma via the Certificate IV in Design. Both these programs have a strong focus on the design principles and elements. These are contextualized to each discipline. The Diploma of Visual Merchandising is a hands on design-based course that is delivered by experienced and practicing professionals. The key course areas for the Visual Merchandising Diploma are designing and installing displays, styling merchandise for install e-store and social media, arranging product for photo styling, planning events, drawing to communicate your ideas, creating props, and developing VM concepts.

As with any RMIT VE Program, these courses bring together the discipline skills, as well as the organizing and planning to complete a project. This means you'll learn how to work within your client's requirements, provide innovative design solutions, and manage the project from start to finish. The key course areas for the Interior Design Diploma are creating well-designed and functional spaces, decorating and designing residential environments, drawing sketches, and producing samples of your design ideas to communicate with your client, sourcing colors, lighting, furniture, and flooring, advising clients on soft and hard finishes, artwork and accessories for an interior scheme, as well as providing design and construction advice.

I love Melbourne and I love working with the students and staff at RMIT. Although we're working in learning in new ways this year, it still feels like RMIT to me. We have three campuses, one in the heart of the city, one at hip Brunswick, and one in relaxed Pandora. Let's take a look at some of our spaces. Both the Diploma of Visual Merchandising and the Diploma of Interior Design are located on the City Campus at Building 94 in Cardigan Street. Each of our campuses has a library, student hangout spaces, cafeterias, and more. How to RMIT will show you around our orientation. Our workshop spaces will immerse you in a hands-on design process using new and emerging technologies, as specialist facilities and equipment support your learning activities.

For example, our purpose built studios, our major street frontage windows and new media and digital display technologies. This is the visual merchandising window at the front of our Cardigan Street Campus, it's a very expressive space. This image shows work our students developed as part of their learning journey. Industry connections are so important to us, and we know they're important to you too. We work on building a community of practice between you, us, and industry. Let's take a look at some of our industry partners in Interior Design and Visual Merchandising. You can see from our list of industry partners, there's a broad representation from each industry.

Working with our industry partners on projects helps you to experience the industry through the learning environment, and also get a sense of the different segments within each industry. We like to celebrate your successes. Although there are many stories from both programs, we could only choose one, please stop and read Anja's story. It's also available on the website and has more information about Anya. Anya, along with seven other Visual Merchandising students, participated in the 2019 World Skills Competition. World Skills brings together young people to compete in various vocational skills, including creative arts, information technology and construction. World Skills Competitions begin at the regional level and progressed to the international stage where young people can showcase their skills to a wide range of industry leaders and fellow peers.

You can see here, three of the projects where our students, our industry, and we have worked together. These epitomize what the program is about. The Brand Project was a collaboration with Supre, where the students were challenged to create and install a fashion window without mannequins. Integral to this project was delivering a concept and outcome that aligned with Supre's branding and met their budget requirements. The District Project involved the VM students working with local retailers in the District Docklands to design and install displays that showcased each retailer's individual product. The retailer Oxford went on to roll out the student display in all their national outlets. The students were thrilled. The Window Project was a partner project with Country Road. Students value the industry experience gained through this project where they worked in close consultation with Country Road staff.

Interior design works closely with our industry partners to enrich our students' learning experience. One opportunity is the BQ Design Competition. We partner with BQ designs, a local manufacturer, to create this competition for our second year students. The brief is to design a contemporary and stylish master bedroom for an apartment. BQ brief and critique the students work as would happen in industry. The winning students' soft furnishing designs are put into production and promoted through social media. Interior design students also participate in the rug design competition, working with a local rug designer Berhue Studios, the students are asked to design a rug to a client brief. Working with clients constraints mirrors our industry requirements.

RMIT partners with a diverse range of institutes from across the globe. RMIT interior design collaborates with FIT from New York to create a study to a immersion for our students. Last year, we went to Paris for a two week intensive, where students from RMIT and FIT worked with a local French architect and local councils to develop a design of adaptive reuse of a cultural center. This study to allow students to experience design and the design process internationally, and the cultural and design delights of Paris. Students often find it's the small things that bring the unexpected moments they need to navigate through while on a study tour. For example, the US and Australia use different units of measurement. They use inches and feet to measure, and we use centimeters and meters.

Great interior designers understand what makes a space work for a particular purpose. As an interior designer, you will develop well-planned and functional spaces, decorate residential environments, draw sketches and produce samples of your ideas, source colors, lighting, furniture and flooring. Provide advice on soft and hard finishes, artwork and accessories for all an interior scheme. Provide onsite design and construction advice. You could go on to work as a decoration, color, or retail consultant in an interior design and decoration firm. In your role as a visual merchandiser, you will present and maintain an organization's image, service and merchandise to its customers. You will use your design talents to create stimulating and engaging spatial displays that promote and sell products and services. This includes creating displays and stands for exhibitions, conferences and other experiential events, creating window and in store displays for retail stores, sourcing elements, such as lighting, props and accessories, working to a project brief and presenting concept designs to clients. You could go on to work as a photo stylist, event stylist or customer experience designer.

Both programs will give you an array of opportunities once you graduate. You can step straight into industry or choose to continue your studies. The important dates for VE for 2021 are, orientation on the 8th of February. Semester one classes begin on the 8th of February. The last day to enroll is the 15th of February. For Associate Degrees, the important dates for 2021, orientation is from the 3rd to the 6th of February. Semester one classes begin on the 8th of February and the last data enroll is the 15th of February.

Let me end by saying thank you for taking the time to hear about our fantastic interior design and visual merchandising program at RMIT. For more information about our courses, check out the RMIT website or call study at RMIT on 9925 2260. Take care and have a lovely day.

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