Feb. 24, 2022

It’s amazing the places you can go with a Seneca education.

Just ask Nezhada Gomes. The Fashion Business Management student graduated in 2020 and took advantage of a Seneca diploma-to-degree pathway to earn a bachelor’s degree in international fashion from Manchester Metropolitan University.

Ms. Gomes’s program included a six-month internship, and her placement was with one of the biggest names in luxury fashion: Christian Dior.

The company was so impressed with her work that Ms. Gomes was hired as a full-time sales consultant with Dior’s U.K. flagship store in London, England.

“I’ve been working in retail since I was 15 years old, but I never imagined I’d have an opportunity like this,” said Ms. Gomes. “I’ve always been attracted to the luxury industry and high-profile haute couture. Everything is hot off the runway. You have to pinch yourself a little bit.”

Ms. Gomes first learned about the academic pathway between Seneca and Manchester Metropolitan University in her class. After she saw a presentation about the Manchester degree program, she knew it was what she wanted to do.

“The professors at Seneca all wanted to help and support you,” she said. “I never felt reserved about asking questions. It was an easy decision for me because I’ve always wanted to study abroad, and the Academic Pathways team helped me with my application and more.”

Ms. Gomes says she appreciated her education at Seneca because her professors brought extensive industry knowledge into the classroom.

“They gave us a real-world experience,” she said. “The program covered every fashion job you could possibly have, and how to do each one. They made us very confident.”

Likewise, Ms. Gomes says her time at Manchester Metropolitan University was valuable.

“It was a different experience,” she said. “They started us off in group projects so we could make friends and foster relationships. That meant a lot to me as I was the only student from Canada, and it was my first time in the U.K.”

As for working at Dior, Ms. Gomes says she is learning new things every day through training sessions and apps that help employees learn about each collection and Dior’s history.

“Dior is focused on selling a dream and allowing clients to build their own dream in the store,” she said. “I love the storytelling aspect of the shopping experience. It’s not just, ‘What size are you looking for?’ You get to convey a story to connect the client to the brand on a personal level. For that person, it could be the one luxury piece they’ll ever buy.”

Ms. Gomes’s dream is to be the manager of her own fashion company and build it from the ground up.

“With Dior on my resumé, I know I’m building a great foundation,” she said. “And I’m really grateful to have had the Seneca pathway option available to me.”

Interested in talking about your education options after Seneca? Book an appointment with a pathway adviser.