Osas Olumese Training Institute

Looking at the time, I realized it was 12:04 AM, 20th July, 2018. Yay!!! It is my Birthdaay. I said a quick prayer, and then it was time to sleep. I woke up excited, smiling to everyone at home, but they didn't even realize it was my day. Funny enough, my sister  had reminded me the day before about what happened Eleven (11) years ago. That day doubled as my birthday and my sister's convocation... so everybody forgot my side. Anyways, my childishness 11years ago, did not steal my excitement this year, although I didn't remind them, I went to the office as usual. I was the first person in, and I ensured I monopolized the music box with my choice of songs😊. As my colleagues came in, they wished me happy birthday...except one (Kelechi). How could they forget, as I had on numerous occasions reminded Sekina (one of my  Mighty girls ) that she would be making my birthday dress. Birthday Girl - moi Sekina Fast forward to about three(3) hours latter, th

I was surprised today when she brought me a micro-mini version of the cut out fabric of what she had been taught in class, asking how it should be sewn. On a second thought, I was excited about the fact that she would be adding her creativity to the work...So I thought. I asked her, she further surprised me by saying, it is actually a macro-mini version, and she would be using it as house clothe😟😞😕 ....house clothe, ke? you mean you would take your time to sew a house clothe? My thoughts were these: she plans not to take the class work serious she would not put effort to ensure a beautiful result, by ironing or evening using interfacing. When I inquired, she then goes on to explain how she is better than those who made their class deliverable for some other person. Then I realized her issue, as I remembered a student who once said they were being thought how to sew vintage clothes. Consideration has been put into the curriculum we have come up with. We have had t

When you have the idea for a blog post.... better blog away. Dont think it twice Anyways.... I have four apprentice and many students. Our students have a structured relationship with the business, but our apprentice do not. About four years ago, when my assistant came to ask me if I wanted an apprentice, my first answer was NO. I really did not want to be baby sitting anyone. She was still in Secondary School, and I did not have experience with teenage girls wahala. After many thoughts, I agreed, and as at today, I have four of them, the first is still with us and she is the youngest. The journey has had its ups and downs. They just know how to press my buttons. We even had breaks, where I told all of them I have had enough of them. Looking back I smile. I am a lot of times thinking of them as My Mighty Girls.... (you know how David had Mighty Men 2 Samuel 23:8-39 , right?) A lot of times I envy them, and I make them know this. I wish I knew what they now know when I

Gist time. So today, during office hours, my colleague asked me "Ma, must I test my block?" Okay, here is what transpired before this question came up. I allowed staff interested in learning pattern drafting, to join the evening class. And the first task was to make a block (template for a garment). The block is usually tested to ensure fit on the wearer. This lady had done her block, but maybe laziness, or i have tested a block before... or something else made her ask me the above question. I really did not know what to say to her. When the time for the evening class came, I spoke my mind to her.... and here it goes. You never really know, until you work it out... you can read all the books on pattern drafting, but until you try it out on paper, test for the fit in a sample fabric, you cant say you know.... I have been in this situation. Before I began actual pattern drafting, I had read through books. I enjoyed going through these books, and imagining the

Happy New Month It is July, the first month in the second quater of the year.  It is also the birth month of our Chief Facilitator Osamudiame Olumese. Asides from all these exciting things, it is an opportunity to review the first half of the year. Have you grown in your skill? Did you even make an effort to grow? How was business in the first half? Did you hit your target, did you even have a target?  Today is the fsecond day of the new half,  and you can and should do a review. Set targets for the quarter. Write these targets down. We at Osas Olumese Training Institute, are excited about the many new things that would be taking place, through the vehicle of the Fashion School. We would be starting a new session for our Bodice Course (evening class) starts today, Monday 2nd July Starter Course: Skirt (evening class) Monday, 16th July Starter Course: Skirt (weekday class) Monday, 23rd July. If one of your goals for the year is to learn how to sew, make p

I worked my posting to Lagos. Yes, the very introverted Osamudiame worked her posting to Lagos. (It is not against the law). After graduating from University, reality smiled on me. It was a time of soul searching, and the question I posed to myself was: Do you want to practice Computer Engineering (My course of study)? Guess what? I couldn't answer this simple question. I had spent Five (5) years of my life studying and at the point where it should be my profession, I wasn't sure. I have always love the process of making a garment, and I thought why don't I make use of Service year for my first love, before fully deciding on what steps to take afterwards. In other to make the Service year really count for my first love, I knew that Lagos was the place to be, and so I worked my posting to Lagos. Service year for me was a mixture of emotions. I was posted to an IT firm (YAY!!! big money.... your right). I struggled through out my time there, so many thing did not

I am increasingly looking forward to come home and write a blog post. This is a good thing, I think. This blog is gradually turning to my business journal, as the last three post have been about business. Anyways the point is to pass knowledge on, and this knowledge might be passed again to me.. Who knows. So the gist today is about training your tailors. I hope I did not hear you ask the question: "Do I need to train my tailors?" Yes, of course... even if the tailor sew the Queens cloths. Training of new employees (Tailors inclusive) is important in a business, so they can produce results consistent with the business product. Tailors come from a wide variety of background, and have been exposed to various form of training, before they landed your door step. Maybe you have what is already working for you. You don't want the new employees to change that for you overnight (though you should be open to better ways of doing things). The question now is what ki