CAREER

Name: Michelle F. Esteras

Age: Mid-20s

Occupation: Part-time Fashion Show Production Instructor; Part-time Fashion Show Producer

Company name: John Casablancas Institute

Years at position: Less than a year

Hours worked each week (average): 8 plus hours a week

Salary range in the industry: It all depends on your experience and skills and if you are full time or by contract.

Salary potential in the industry: If aiming for full time it can go to $200-$350 a day. Again,it all depends on your experience.

Best part of job: It is very rewarding to mentor and teach students what the industry is all about. My students and bringing out their potential.

Other possible career choices with your educational background: Visual Stylist and Merchandiser, Fashion Designer, Fashion Buyer, Illustrator, Fashion Show Producer, Fashion Stylist, Pattern Maker, and much, much more.

EDUCATION

Degree(s): Fashion Design diploma (Blanche MacDonald Centre for Design); Fashion Business and Arts diploma (John Casablancas Institute); communication design courses at Emily Carr Institute

School: Blanche MacDonald; John Casablancas; Emily Carr Institute

Grad year: BMC 2002; JC 2003; ECIAD 2004

Length of program: BMC 1 year; JC 1year; ECIAD (part-time)

Did your school provide any work placement? Directors and counselors provide work placement if you haven’t had the chance to find the right company for you. I was blessed enough to have a job right after I graduate. I got busy in the industry right away and got recognized with my skills and educational background.

Advice: I have always been a mentor to a lot of fashion students and have been a motivational guest speaker at John Casablancas, and this is what I have always been saying: “Quitting is not an option” and do a lot and I mean a lot of networking.

LIFESTYLE

Favourite recreational activity: Shoe and vintage shopping, playing tennis and traveling and more traveling.

Upcoming vacation plans: San Francisco, Toronto, Maui and Dubai

In five years, I see myself: Well, I don’t know I am so excited with everything that is going on around me right now, I can tell I am definitely blessed with great people, mentors and career. Of course, I would have a family by then but career wise, I’ll never know where will I be. I just love being in the fashion industry.