Interactions with people from the textile field
DSPAT TEXTILE had an opportunity to publish an interview which was taken by TexConnect group (An online textile information provider in video form) with Shubham Patil.
- Shubham Patil completed his Master’s from De Montfort University in Leicester, the UK in Textile Design Innovation and Technology.
- He did his Bachelor’s from DKTE Society’s Textile and Engineering Institute, in Man-Made Fibre Technology.
- He is currently working at Gen2 Carbon in the UK, post his Master’s. In this interview, Shubham has highlighted his journey to a Master’s, has cleared a lot of doubts and provided vital information regarding the course and universities abroad.
 |
Interactions with people from the textile field |
1. Why did you pursue a Masters in Textiles?
I had done my BTech in Man-Made Textile Technology, which covered the vast majority of Technical Textiles and the Automotive Textile sectors. Eventually, I had a look and found out that the UK has a flourishing composite sector, there are various developments going on in the fields and sectors mentioned above. So aligning with my interest I decided to pursue a master's in Textiles in the UK.
2. How did you shortlist the countries and the courses? Process in shortlisting the Universities?
Okay, so I had 3 international internships to my name while I was pursuing my bachelor's. The first one is from the Czech Republic, which is the Technical University of Liberec. Second, being from Hof University of Applied Sciences, Germany, I had a basic idea regarding the universities in Europe.
Initially, I tried focusing on the USA, but the GRE score wasn't that good for a good university and the expenses too were out of reach.
I was actually not looking for a university with a good ranking, rather I was looking for a university with good-quality courses in composites, laboratories and course content. I emailed various faculties, and seniors in order to get my doubts cleared regarding the facilities offered by the University, after which I chose De Montfort.
Also to note that Europe and the UK had good jobs and opportunities in regards to Textiles.
3. Shubham can you please tell us something about the prerequisites or essential things one needs to have in his/her profile to pursue a masters abroad.
Frankly telling you that the Universities in the USA actually scrutinize and have a look at your profile a lot, UK does it too but comparatively lesser. They have a look at your overall profile, paper presentations, competitions you have taken part in and the projects you’ve been associated with. You should have a basic Bachelor’s degree in Textiles and should have cleared the IELTS examination. 1 or 2 Paper presentations, along with exhibitions and webinar visits is
important. All these things should be mentioned in your portfolio, with a strong CV and a cover letter.
4. Tell us something about your course in detail.
I pursued a Master’s from De Montfort University, Leicester in Textile Design Innovation and Technology. People come in here from different backgrounds, and different portions and syllabuses are designed according to their interests.
I had a 3-semester pattern, which is followed pretty much all over UK universities. First two semesters we were taught building composites and their usual applications and introduction, and the third semester is a project semester. Sustainability is the main attraction, especially in the UK, we were taught about various testing methods and accreditations along with an elective subject.
5. What options are available for a master's in textiles in the UK or Germany?
There are some amazing universities all over Europe, a University in Belgium provides a 2-year degree course with 4 semesters where you have the option to attend each semester in a different university. Polish University is best for Technical Textiles, the Czech Technical University is good for Nano Textiles, this university has patented machines. Aachen University and Hof university in Germany is good for Material Sciences and Sustainability respectively. Heriot-Watt University is again good for material science, and Leeds and Manchester are good for Textile Technology or Technical Textiles. De Montfort is good for Fashion and counter Fashion. When you come to the USA, you have NCSU which is best for Technical Textiles.
The Master’s programme is affordable when it comes to the UK, as it costs around 20-25 Lakh Rupees. This expense can easily be covered, as there are part-time jobs available. These jobs pay you around 10-12 pounds an hour, and you can work for around 20 hours a week. In addition to this, there are scholarships offered by the universities, which range from around 4-5 Lakh Rupees.
6. How was the learning experience in the UK?
The learning experience if I talk about it is totally different from what is there in India. India has a fixed syllabus pattern, whereas in the UK it’s more personalized. They set you a personal Timetable with a mentor and there are more research-based and practical sessions. Their education system is totally against plagiarism. Even in assignments and assessments, you are allowed to refer to various sources but not copy the same content. Nothing is readymade, everything has to be developed. This makes you grow your research ability and you can know what goes on in the industry.
7. How is the Industry exposure, and what options are there for a student?
The industry exposure more or less depends on the specialization you are doing in, Fashion and design background is too good. The UK has the best automotive background and is also home to various car manufacturing companies. Then there are Technical textiles in the automotive structure and also in Aerospace and Wind Energy Generation. Marine and Railways are also growing. Hence with all such industries around one can find his/her way to exposure. There is a placement office in the university which is actually different from what we have in India. Unlike India they don’t bring companies to the campus, rather they connect you to the companies and the industry. They will tell you about various openings, vacancies and the opportunities present.
Talking about the placement scenario, if you have an experience of 2 to 3 years, you’ll get a package of something around 40 Lakh Rupees and if you don’t have prior experience it will be around 25-30 Lakh Rupees in the UK
8. Advice for students-
So there are quite a few, like a lot many people will say and hold you back, by telling don’t pursue 1-year degree courses in the UK, there are expenses and you’ll have to take a loan. But don’t pay attention and follow what you want to do. There are some amazing technical as well as management universities, which will provide you with a totally different experience and culture of education. You’ll learn how to approach a product, research around it and eventually develop it. I’d say do more paper presentations, research projects, webinars, and exhibitions and build a strong profile.
Link to TexConnect - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZOBb_qdov8GgYXp1rMsKZg
Special thanks to TexConnect for providing useful information.
Further reading,
List of other sources for textile information
