If you’ve ever thought about breaking into the sneaker industry, the Fashion Institute of Technology and Complex’s new program may be the kickstart you’ve been looking for. The program is the first of its kind and is designed to inspire the next generation of leaders in the $55 Billion global sneaker industry. This program comes at a time when sneaker culture is growing widely, and people may not know how or where to get involved. Developed by Qubed Education, the program is 100% online and allows you to learn at your own pace. At the end of the six-course program, you will receive a certification in Sneaker Essentials from FIT to add to your achievements.

This program covers all aspects of the industry from history and design to advertising and retail operations. With an estimated 30 hours of instruction, you will definitely learn all you need to know about this booming industry. The program will be led by recognizable Complex staff, FIT faculty and other notable industry leaders. Some names you can expect to see are Joe La Puma and Gerald Flores of Complex and Sarah Mullins of FIT. Complex, being one of the core media outlets in sneaker culture, was the perfect partner for this program. In a recent interview with a writer for Complex, the lifestyle brand’s GM of Content, Jack Erwin, explained that "Complex has always been at the forefront of sneaker culture, and we also pride ourselves on being inclusive and opening doors for creative people.”

I’m really excited about this program for two reasons. One being that this is an opportunity to see more women creating spaces in the sneakHER industry and, two, this marks a change in how people gain access to the fields that they want to work in. This program brings industry leaders to you and gives you a clear path to succeed in footwear, no matter what area you’re interested in. Our CNK Social Media Intern, Kassie McRostie, is currently enrolled into the course and is loving it. She expressed, “my time doing the FIT Sneaker Essentials so far has allowed me to not only acquire more sneaker information, but it has also allowed me to slowly develop my place in the sneaker world and where I see myself going in the future.” Adding, “I highly recommend this program to anyone who has a passion for sneakers. You may have thought you knew a lot about sneakers before but take this course and your sneaker intelligence will expand to its full potential."