A N N E K I N G DATEC: Art for art’s sake-or a job as well?

‘I want to do something in Art’. I wish I had a pound note, or even one of those newly designed 20p pieces, for every time that statement has been thrown at me at various careers conventions. The speakers, boys or girls, utter this delightfully vague senti- ment and then wait expectantly for a reply. Unfortunately, such youthful enthusiasm is usually quelled by a disapproving parent who tries to urge them towards a ‘safe’, or even a ‘proper career’.

The problem is two-fold: firstly, to them Art and Design is not a respectable career area for their offspring, and reeks of starving in a garret (or perhaps today, living on State benefit in a flat); secondly the area is too airy-fairy for them. Parents and indeed their children are ignorant of the actual jobs that are available. Beyond the traditional artist and designer roles, many are hard pressed to think of other possibilities. Advertising, illustrating, working in a drawing office might rear their heads, but if you mention occupations such as jewellery design, ceramics, photo- graphy, technical illustration, display and exhibition design, conservation and restoration, your audience might well express surprise. It is often useful to clarify the distinctions between the different sorts of art and design work. For example, fine artists are those who could be said to express their own ideas or feelings through their work. Their work does not necessarily have a direct use, nor does it necessarily earn them a living. Designers are those who apply their creative ability and practical skills to solve a problem. They normally work to a brief given by their employer or client; they work within the constriction of a budget or time limit. Craftsmen or craftswomen are those who are often involved in small scale production, often by traditional methods. This could apply for example to ceramics, jewellery, textile crafts, furniture, leather and glass. Obviously these very broad definitions have various shades and tones, but it does show that an art and design career is not ‘just painting’ and that a living in the real world can be earned.

To bring this point home, it is helpful to draw attention to an everyday object-a brochure, a car, a coin, and point out that not only did these objects have to be designed, which involved some kind of creativity and originality, the designer also had to work within the constraints of a budget and within manufactur- ing limits. Numeracy and an appreciation of business are as essential on a vocational art and design course as on many ‘practical’ courses. Designers are very much a part of industry and there’s nothing airy-fairy about that. Somehow the mention of concrete skills such as ‘a head for business’ helps to make art and design careers more real. Art and design careers are closely related to the modern world. Thus art and design courses have

43

Journal of Art &Design Education

Vol 2, No 1, 1983

A N N E K I N G DA TEC

to be too. They must provide the industry with the right type of student-one who is useful to the company and who is a reliable, skilled professional practitioner.

Even if the parents are then convinced that this might be worth further discussion, it is worth pointing out to the student that jobs are not easy to come by, that competition is very strong, and that 100 per cent commitment is needed during training. Any rosy idea of an easy life in college should be squashed immediately: art and design courses are hard work, and it is a long hard road to a job.

If enthusiasm is still apparent (though, at the average careers’ convention, you usually find that the man offering opportunities in the insurance firm across the way is by now much more attractive to the parents), the difficult business of explaining the different ways of obtaining a recognised qualification lie ahead. Of course, you then have to hear about the friend or relative who has set up his own design business and has not had a days formal training in his life. This is quite possible, but it is worth pointing out that being in the right place at the right time probably played a large part in that particular success story. Things have changed, and luck alone is not enough. A recognised vocational qualification will help considerably in this very competitive field.

But which qualification? The well chartered route is the one year Foundation Course, followed by the three year CNAA degree course. But what if the student does not want to spend four years in college? What if he feels a degree course would be too theoretical? In the last few years, there has been a change in the pattern of art and design training. The foundation year and the degree courses still exist, but a new word has entered the art and design vocabulary-DATEC.

DATEC is an arm of the Technician Education Council (TEC) which, in 1973, was given responsibility for unifying technician education (in the non-degree sector). TEC courses have generally replaced the O N C ~ O N D or HNC/HND courses in many fields, as well as some of the courses run by the City and Guilds of London Institute. In the first years, TEC was responsible for courses in engineering, building construction and science, and in 1977 following recommendation by the Gann report, art and design was added.

TEC is not an examining body; instead it validates and moder- ates courses. Colleges can devise their own courses, incorporat- ing if they wish, material devised by TEC. These courses are then validated, and the appointment of a TEC moderator to each course ensures that standards are maintained and that all courses have a national currency.

But, apart from this, what is different about DATEC courses? Why follow this route? One advantage is the fact that DATEC provides courses that are nationally recognised. Prior to DATEC’S formation, colleges ran vocational design courses leading to a variety of local or college diplomas-many of these have now

44

been transferred to DATEC. Another advantage is DATEC’S insis- tence on the relevance of courses to industry’s needs and the fact that courses are designed in consultation with representatives from various industries and professional organisations. Finally, DATEC courses are vocational; the emphasis is on employability. They are designed to provide the basis for a career in art and design and for those who may not wish to take a degree course (although this is possible and is mentioned later in this article).

DATEC awards There are four DATEC awards available-certificate, Diploma, Higher Certificate and Higher Diploma. The Certificate and the Diploma are at the same level, but the Diploma course is normally broader in coverage than the Certificate, and puts much more emphasis on developing the student’s analytical, interpretive and creative design abilities. The Certificate courses concentrate more firmly on practical skills.

All the courses can be taken by any mode of study: full-time, sandwich, block or day release, or any combination of these, depending on college provision. The Certificate, the Diploma, and the Higher Diploma each normally demand two years of full-time study, whereas the Higher Certificate is obtainable at the end of a one year course (following a successful Certificate or Diploma course). All these courses, if taken part-time, de- mand an extra year’s study.

For a DATEC course, entrants would normally be required to have the following qualifications:

For certificate At least 3 CSES at Grade 111. The subjects required will depend on the type of course chosen.

For Diploma Three ‘0’ Levels at Grades A, B or C or 3 CSES at Grade I. Again, subjects required will depend on the course chosen.

For Higher Certificate or Higher Diploma An appropriate TEC Certificate or Diploma. Students may be able to enter a Higher Certificate or Higher Diploma course if they have suitable GCE ‘0’ Levels and/or ‘A’ Levels. In this case, additional bridging study will be necessary.

Students should be encouraged to contact their local college as the staff there will be able to advise on subjects needed to enter a particular DATEC course.

Most colleges place great importance on the student’s port- folio, and evidence of creative ability, potential and commitment is normally sought at an interview prior to admission to any DATEC course.

Lists of colleges running DATEC courses are available from TEC.

45

A N N E KING DA TEC

wl th mln. 3 x CSE Grade I1 I plus

- - - - - EDUCATION --

I I

I I

I

HIGHER DIPLOMA

p o s s i b l e access

I

Full-time

CERTIFICATE P TEC HIGHER Age 16+ 2 years or 17t 1 year

L.. - ..- - i 4

* s

Possible access to full-time Higher Certificate or Higher Dlploma courses

4 4 ' t

HI GHER CERTIFICATE

4

KEY TO S T W Y ROUTES: ,-*most normal route

- - -- -+ other possible route

- __. . - - - exceptional route

Pattern of courses and routes. 46

Aims of DATEC courses A number of aims have been identified:

(a) Development of practical skills. (b) Acquisition of technical knowledge and the associated

(c) Development of analytical, interpretative and creative

(d) Development of organisational and professional skills. (e) Acquisition of comprehension, communication and

critical abilities. Courses can involve many different permutations or particular

emphases, but the activities all point to the basic DATEC philoso- phies of transmitting a body of knowledge, and a command of creative and manipulative skills and techniques which are de- signed to increase the student’s capacity for personal develop- ment, and thus enable him/her to adapt to new situations and to communicate successfully with others. DATEC courses are in- tended to meet with the approval of employers and professional bodies and to provide each student with a survival kit for working in the professional world of art and design.

skills of application.

design abilities.

Range of DATEC courses There are four main areas.

1. Visual Communication These are specialist courses in graphic design (which can include advertising and package design), general and technical illustra- tion, photography, audio-visual studies, typographic design, and printing, as well as multi-disciplinary courses in Visual Commu- nication. These courses could lead to employment in advertising, publishing and design studios.

2. Fashion/ Textiles DATEC courses in textile design cover printed, woven and knitted textiles, and may include surface pattern design involving lami- nates, plastics, and wall papers.

Such courses are concerned not only with the design process, but also with the related manufacturing technology. Jobs with textile or wall covering manufacturers or in design consultancy might follow.

Fashion courses cover all aspects of fashion design and may include accessory and shoe design, millinery and embroidery. Pattern cutting and commercial garment manufacture are impor- tant areas, and students would also be introduced to the current technological developments. A diploma in Fashion would pre- pare students for jobs as junior designers or pattern cutters in the rag trade, and jobs in theatre or television wardrobe are a possibility.

47

A N N E KING DATEC

A N N E KING DATEC

3. Three Dimensional Design These courses cover the broad areas of industrial and product design, display and exhibition design, interior and exterior ma- terial design, ceramics, jewellery and silversmithing, glass and theatre. Industrial design-designing products for mass manu- facture, or the design crafts field-where the object is designed and made by the same person, has employment possibilities, as has furniture or interior design.

4. General Art and Design These general courses are devised to give an introduction to the wide scope of art and design studies available. Diploma courses have been devised to prepare the student for entry to an advanced course of specialist study. This could be a TEC higher award, or a degree course. A General Art and Design Diploma is particularly attractive to students who are not sure which area of art and design they are interested in, or whether they want to proceed to Higher Diploma or degree courses.

Students can now obtain a mandatory grant for a TEc Higher Diploma (as for a degree course). For those who feel they would not like as many as three years further study or who prefer the vocational nature of DATEC courses, this would seem to be the answer (A DATEC Higher Diploma entitles the holder to SIAD Diploma membership under the Direct Nomination Scheme).

So, that is D A T E C - ~ I system of art and design education which, it is hoped, provides employers with the right sort of students, and students with the right sort of courses.

Going back to the subject of careers conventions, it is difficult to persuade parents that new qualifications are better than the ones they have replaced, and when the qualifications are in art and design, the problem is doubled. Perhaps by illustrating that DATEC courses are vocationally orientated, that employability is the main aim, you will have won half the battle. However, the other half-of persuading them that artists and designers do have proper careers and an important role to play in industry, is a much bigger battle and who is going to take that one up?

For students: A Career in Art and Design-a free careers leaflet

For teachers: A Guide to TEC (free) and Publications List (free). All available from: Publications Department, TEC, Central

House, Upper Woburn Place, London WClH OHH (Tel: 01- 388 3288).

Further information on DATEC can be obtained:

(available in bulk).

48