Computer Games (Design) student broadens their horizons by attending sustainable fashion trip
A Computer Games (Design) student has spoken of his recent trip as part of a sustainable fashion workshop, which saw him visit companies that are leading the way in the fight against climate change.
The Erasmus + Project - Sustainable Fashion and Employability Skills (SFES) saw four different universities visit GCU as part of an exciting project to increase the understanding of the sustainable fashion industry.
Students had the opportunity to visit companies such as ASC Clothing, ISHGA and Harris Tweed Hebrides, which all work towards improving the industry’s attitudes towards climate change.
Third year Computer Games (Design) student Victor Suranyi jumped at the chance to take part in the trip, despite his programme not being directly related. We spoke to Viktor about the role of game designers and the importance of exposing yourself to real life scenarios:
How did you first hear about SFES?
“I heard about SFES (Sustainable Fashion Employability Skills) a year ago through an email that was sent out by our lecturer Hamid Homatash (he is great at keeping us in the loop). I applied because I found it interesting that they wanted us to get involved in a program that, even in interdisciplinary settings, we are rarely associated with.”
Tell us about the trip – what did you get to do?
“During the SFES trip, we got to visit companies that are implementing sustainable and unique goals successfully. We saw the production lines and inner processes of places like ACS, ISHGA, and Harris Tweed Hebrides.
In-between, workshops were held where we had to work in randomly selected teams with students from different countries to recognise practices and employability skills that the companies utilised. These workshops and activities helped us to analyse what we saw and gave us the chance to reflect on how these skills could be transferred to other areas and help employability.
During the trip, we explored the beauties of the Scottish Highlands and Hebrides, including a barefoot adventure on the Luskentyre Beach and a soaking visit to the Standing Stones of Callanish. The organisers did a great job of mixing educational and fun activities to keep everyone entertained and engaged.”
Sustainable fashion isn’t necessarily linked to games design, but why is important to gain knowledge from different areas?
“In Computer Games (Design). we work on more projects where serious issues are being discussed than people would expect. These projects often involve the SDG-s (Sustainable Development Goals), which were also frequent topics throughout the trip.
To attend a programme and personally visit places where they actively care about these goals was refreshing and a very positive experience. Some of the best games are made by designers who draw from real-life experiences and situations because that is what players can also relate to the most.
Therefore, I believe that designers should expose themselves to as many circumstances as they can and learn about the most diverse topics to stand out, which I attempted to do with this trip.
I would definitely recommend participating in this one or other similar programmes - don’t be afraid if it is not directly related to your studies. You get to meet new people with diverse backgrounds and interests, build your network and learn new skills that could be more transferable to your area than you would previously expect.”
Find out more about SFES on their website
By Rachael McAlonan
Got a SCEBE or GSBS story? Email me at Rachael.McAlonan@gcu.ac.uk or connect with me on social media here