Student
Dyamon Jones
Dyamon Jones had a career in mechanical engineering before she decided to ditch Texas for California and go back to school to study fashion at FIDM. We sat down with her to find out more about her life-changing decision.
What advice do you have for someone thinking about going back to school to change careers? Go for it! Don't hold back! It isn't easy and there is a lot of uncertainty but I am much happier now than before. I knew that if I didn't I would wonder "what if." Allow yourself to explore your dreams. Don't wait until things are perfect or you will be waiting forever. Have faith that everything will work out.
Tell us a little about yourself: I am originally from Houston, Texas. I received my Bachelors of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin in 2012 and began working full time as an engineer soon after. I worked in the oil and gas industry as an Operations Engineer and a Project Engineer. I enjoy traveling, reading, and going to the movies.
What made you decide to study Product Development after having been a Mechanical Engineer? I was laid off from my job in early 2016 and I wasn't sure what to do with myself. I attempted to find a job in the industry I had been working in but no one was hiring. After about nine months of nonstop searching, I finally decided why not go after my dreams of working in fashion. I began touring schools in New York City and Los Angeles. I read about Product Development on the FIDM website and thought it would be a perfect major for me as it encompassed a little bit of everything from all of the majors. I wanted a major that mixed a bit of business and creative and Product Development was the perfect fit.
How do the two paths align? There are definitely a few aspects that I have found in fashion and engineering that overlap each other. For instance, I knew about BOMs (Bill of Materials) and POs (Purchase Orders) from my work as an engineer except it was engineering equipment and not buttons or a certain type of fabric or thread. In my textiles lab, we tension tested fabric and I thought it was so cool because during undergrad we tension tested different metals in materials lab. There is even a bit of design that happens in engineering but instead of designing a garment we may be designing equipment or a system layout. The processes are similar but the output and product are different.
What are your career goals and how is FIDM helping you get there? I haven't quite narrowed it down yet but I am in between creative design with regards to product development or fabric sourcing. The classes at FIDM are very hands on and ties nicely into real world application. I get a sense of what it is like in these roles from the class work as well as through internships I have obtained through FIDM. The Career Center has been amazing at guiding me through finding the right internships to align with what I want to do in the future.
How did you choose FIDM? My entrance counselor and FIDM tour played a big part in my choice to attend FIDM. My entrance counselor supported me every step of the way during my application and helped me pick the right major. She even suggested places to live when we met. I fell in love with the campus during a tour. I loved all of the resources available to students and the workspaces. I loved hearing about the different collaborations between FIDM and different companies in industry. I knew I would get a good balance of class work and hands on industry work at FIDM.
How do you like living in LA? It has been a bit of an adjustment. I am from a large city but the population and traffic here is crazy! But I really enjoy being in a city where entertainment and fashion are concentrated. There is always something happening in LA and the weather isn't bad either.
Anything else you’d like to share? I am very happy to be attending FIDM and I am very excited to see what's next for me in fashion!
Please Note: The information contained herein was confirmed at the time of original publication.
Categories: Merchandise Product Development Student
