Press Release

Leitch Review offers hope to apparel, footwear and textiles sector as £72 million wasted on the wrong type of training

8 December 2006

In the week that saw the publication of the Leitch Review of Skills it has been revealed that the UK’s textile industry is suffering as resources are wasted on the wrong type of training.

The warning came from Linda Florance, Chief Executive of Skillfast-UK the Sector Skills Council for apparel, footwear and textiles, who states that of the £80million allocated to vocational training in this sector, only 10% is useful and relevant for employers.

She said: “This industry as a whole contributes more than £10 billion to the UK economy and employs around 380,000 people and yet we are unable to provide employers with the appropriate training for their staff to ensure their businesses are equipped to face the challenges of an increasingly competitive market.

“Fashion design courses account for 40% of all sector-relevant courses, for example, but our research shows that there are very few of these types of vacancies.  This bias does not properly represent the diversity of the rest of the sector.

“As the Leitch report confirms, what businesses desperately need are people with specific practical skills such as sewing machinists, knitters, weavers and pattern cutters.  The existing training system presumes that skills are best taught in a classroom environment, but employers tell us that practical skills are often better taught on their premises in a working environment.”

Skillfast-UK has been working with companies and training providers to break down the historical approach to training – the one course fits all scenario - and establish new innovative models, which will help provide the necessary skills in a way that suits individual businesses.  This has worked particularly well with luxury leather goods company, Mulberry and Savile Row bespoke tailors who have developed tailored apprenticeships.  

Mrs Florance’s comments have been praised by designer Jasper Conran who has long recognised the skills shortage in the UK’s couture fashion world. He comments: “British design and creativity has been heralded around the globe for many, many years but we are at a disadvantage because we have never had the skilled production infrastructure to maximise its potential. The onus on design-focussed courses has produced a handful of fantastically talented individuals, but at what cost? Without the continued investment in training required to maintain the many skills and crafts that go into producing quality garments and footwear, we are merely investing in a skills gap.”

Mrs Florance welcomes the Leitch Review which has highlighted the fact that the UK remains weak by international standards, holding back productivity, growth and social justice. She said: “The Sector Skills Council (SSC) movement was built on the promise that employers, through their SSC, would have real influence on how skills are delivered into industry.  However, without any real power to enforce change, Sector Skills Councils have been fighting to deliver on that promise. In recognizing the importance of an employer and demand-led system, the Leitch Review offers us hope.”
 
The Review has found that, even if challenging targets to improve skills are met, UK skills will still lag behind that of many comparator countries in 2020. It recommends giving more power to the 25 different Sector Skills Councils including Skillfast-UK and developing more demand-led vocational qualifications, as well as to double the number of apprenticeships undertaken in the UK. 

Sector Skills Councils were established by the Government and have been tasked with representing employers in the skills and training arena helping them to increase productivity.  Their aim is to facilitate relationships between employers, training providers and funding agencies so that they can develop an appropriate, fit-for-purpose training infrastructure with qualifications tailored to suit employers’ needs.

“This is an incredibly exciting sector covering everything from medical gauze used to heal sports injuries and technical fibres in aircraft wings, to high fashion garments, traditional leatherwear and specialist cleaning services.” added Mrs Florance.  “Skillfast-UK represents businesses which offer a wealth of different employment options and we must ensure that we invest properly now to guarantee their future.”

Skillfast-UK’s research was undertaken with 2,000 employers in the sector ranging from textiles and clothing manufacturers to bespoke tailors and professional laundries.  The research can be viewed at www.skillfast-uk.org

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