What are the responsibilities and job description for the Sewing Instructor position at Witness to Mass Incarceration Inc.?
About The Art of Tailoring:
The Art of Tailoring Program is a pre-apprenticeship, apprenticeship, and incubator program designed to teach tailoring, garment manufacturing skills, and entrepreneurship to those who intend on entering the fashion industry.
Witness to Mass Incarceration Inc. focuses on serving formerly incarcerated, system-impacted, and other underserved populations. Each cohort has 25 students, and the class runs in WITNESS's office in Queens, NY.
Position Details:
Currently hiring for a on-site, part-time role, with the potential to go full-time. You will be expected to work M-F (week-ends as needed for events and meetings), and the class is held once a week on Mondays.
- Create curriculum for class (fashion design history, sewing basics, technique, entrepreneurship, etc.)
- Teach 25 students in a 4-hour class daily
- Hold 1-on-1 office hours with students and provide support
- Inventory tracking for class supplies and necessities
- Weekly meetings with supervisor to track student progress and do necessary administrative tasks (in-person and remote)
Qualifications:
- 2-5 years experience in teaching (formal or informal), especially with youth or in community-based programs
- Strong sewing skills and knowledge of fabric, tools, and basic fashion design
- Excellent classroom management and communication skills
- Ability to break down techniques into clear, step-by-step instruction
- Creative, patient, and enthusiastic about youth development
- Experience using sewing machines with groups of students
- This is an in-person role, and candidates must reside in or be able to commute to New York.
- Experience in different sewing/ tailoring skills (pattern-making, draping, working with different fabric types, upscaling, etc.)
- Have experience using commercial machines (sewing machine, DTF machine, embroidery, etc.)
- IMPORTANT: Have some experience working with underserved populations.
- Authorized to work in the United States
- OPTIONAL: Bilingual; fluency in Spanish or Chinese (or other language) is a plus
Optional:
- Certification or academic qualifications relating to sewing or fashion design
- Cover Letter
- Reference (phone number, email, etc.)
About Witness: Mission and Vision
Witness to Mass Incarceration (WITNESS) is dedicated to fostering economic independence for formerly incarcerated (FIP), system-impacted, and LGBTQ individuals. We achieve this by building a hub of excellence in entrepreneurship and innovation, offering comprehensive vocational training, social enterprise solutions, and robust support systems. Our mission is to cultivate economic independence, reduce recidivism, and nurture generational wealth, while dismantling systemic barriers and advancing equality for all we serve.
Salary : $30,000 - $35,000
