If you're good at putting outfits together, love watching everything related to the runway, and always fawn over a fabulous handbag or a lovely pair of shoes, then going to a fashion design school, getting a fashion marketing education, or attending a fashion merchandising college may be the right path for you.

Depending on what area of fashion you enter, you may find that you get to travel to different areas of the country – and even the world! – to meet with designers and potential customers. What may surprise you though, is the necessity of technology in this field. Computer-aided apparel design is an important skill these days, and at a fashion design school you’ll learn to use computer software to do everything from textile design and illustrations, to flats and specifications.

When in fashion design school, students learn the history of fashion, different fashion techniques, and more. You’ll learn how to do things like sew, drape fabric, and present your design ideas using computers and other methods. Students also get real world experience through outside internships and experienced professors – two things that also help you build up a valuable list of contacts that will come in handy for future job hunting.

If you want to get the most out of the fashion design programs you take, or the fashion design school you attend, you should consider ones that boast robust curricula. That means researching degree and certificate programs that focus on the business as well as the creative side of the fashion industry. Classes that teach you fashion marketing and the proper way to go about business practices, client relations, and agency procedures, will better prepare you to enter the industry.

There are a few different degrees available within fashion, as well; for example, you can get a fashion marketing education or enroll at fashion merchandising college. Depending upon the fashion concentration you choose to pursue, you may find yourself in school for anywhere from a few months to four years. But whatever you choose, you'll be sure to get fashion knowledge and experience that can help catapult you to the job of your dreams. In fact, once you have the fashion knowledge, school credentials, and the right contacts, you may be able to gain an entry-level position as a fashion merchandiser, assistant designer, stylist, illustrator, private label designer, or technical designer.

As for employment figures in the fashion industry, while there is growth expected – about a five percent increase in overall employment of fashion designers between 2006 and 2016 – it’s slower than the average growth that other occupations in the U.S. will experience. In addition, while there will be more jobs there will also be a higher rate of competition for many of them. This means that, if you’re determined to get into the industry, you should do all that you can to get the skills and the credentials that will set you apart from the rest of the crowd.