Wardrobe assistant

You can take a higher national diploma, degree or postgraduate qualification in costume design, fashion or textiles. This could give you an advantage later if you want to become a costume designer.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• between 1 and 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a higher national diploma or degree
• a degree in a relevant subject for postgraduate study

More Information

• equivalent entry requirements
• student finance for fees and living costs
• university courses and entry requirements

You could start by doing a college course to get some of the skills needed for this job, for example:

• Level 2 Certificate in Fashion
• Level 3 Certificate in Theatre Support Costume and Wardrobe

Entry requirements

You may need:

• 2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a level 2 course
• 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course

More Information

• equivalent entry requirements
• funding advice
• search for courses

You can get into this job by doing a broadcast production assistant advanced apprenticeship. This can be used to get into a lot of different jobs in film and TV, including costume runner and wardrobe assistant.

You could also do a garment maker advanced apprenticeship, if your job involves repairing and making costumes.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

• 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship

More Information

• equivalent entry requirements
• guide to apprenticeships

You could start out as a runner with a production company and get the experience and contacts you need to move into wardrobe and costume work.

Volunteering is a great way to build up your skills and to make contacts with people in the industry. Your contacts can be a good way of finding paid work later on. You could get volunteering experience through:

• student theatre and film productions
• amateur or community theatre
• dressmaking
• working for a theatrical costume hire company
• casual work as a costume 'daily' or temporary helper on film and TV sets

Further information

You can find more details about how to become a wardrobe assistant through Get into Theatre.

You can find out more about creative careers from Discover Creative Careers.

You'll need:

• the ability to work well with others
• sensitivity and understanding
• the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
• the ability to come up with new ways of doing things
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• knowledge of the fine arts
• excellent verbal communication skills
• design skills and knowledge
• to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

Your day-to-day duties might include:

• helping to buy and hire costume items
• looking after the costumes between takes or scenes
• mending and altering items
• packing and unpacking costumes and accessories
• cleaning, steaming and ironing
• helping to make pieces and put costumes together
• fitting costumes onto performers
• keeping continuity notes, so that performers look the same in each scene
• storing costumes and returning hired items (known as 'breaking down' costumes)

You could work at a film studio, on a film set, in a theatre or at a TV studio.

Your working environment may be cramped and hot.