Part of the Skills for Business network of 25 employer-led Sector Skills Councils Skillfast-uk Sector Skills Council for Apparel, Footwear, Textiles and

Part of the Skills for Business network of 25 employer-led Sector Skills Councils

Skillfast-ukSector Skills Council for Apparel, Footwear, Textiles

and related businesses

Celia Thornley

Contact details-Tel: 07734070322

E-mail [email protected]


Role of the SSCs• Licensed to work with employers, government and education across

the UK to identify the skills required to sustain and improve productivity and competitiveness within the sector.

Skillfast-uk• Following a successful ‘Trailblazer’ phase - fully licensed in 2004 • Developed a series of direct initiatives to address immediate skills

problems• Developing long term strategic solutions to address skills issues for

the future• ‘The Big Push on Skills’


Sector Skills Agreements

Five stage process leading to industry agreement to a programme of collaborative action:

Stage 1: needs assessment

Stage 2: analysis of current provision

Stage 3: gap analysis

Stage 4: scope for collaborative action by employers

Stage 5: action plan with key delivery partners

www.skillfast-uk.org


The Sector

• Employs approx 384,000 people - approximately 58,000 people in North West

• 80% of businesses employ 10 or less employees roles• Generates approx £9.9bn GDP (2006)

Up to four-fifths of employment falls within industries with a significant creative component

• Approx 1,000 people employed in design and related roles, including self-employment

• Approx 3,000 people are employed in the various sector craft


Sector creative components includes the design and production of -

• Soft furnishings and household textiles• Carpets • Knitwear • Apparel • Footwear• Textiles


Occupations within the creative components include:

Design roles• Textile designer• Digital print designer• Carpet designer• Apparel/knitwear

designer• Accessories designer• Footwear designer.

Production roles• Garment

technologist• Fabric technologist• Pattern cutter• Pattern grader• Sample machinist• Fabric technologist• Dyer / colourist• Production tailor

Craft roles• Weaver / knitter• Upholsterer –

includes soft furnisher

• Skilled leather trades – includes shoe making trades

• Handcraft tailor• Dress maker


High level skills gapsOne in six businesses who employ designers identify skills deficiencies among the staff they employ, equivalent to one in seven staff affected

Key areas of skills/knowledge that need to be improved:

– Garment technology / construction, pattern cutting– Production knowledge– Costing– Computer-aided design– Knowledge of materials technology (e.g. leather) and design specialisms (e.g.

footwear)– Sales and marketing– Sourcing and international trade– Multi-skilling– Experience


High level skills shortages

• Garment / textile / footwear technology including product development and processes

• Clothing / textile / footwear design and construction principles• Technical service including material properties testing, sourcing,

product evaluation, costing, standards• Computer aided design/ICT and use of software programmes• Quality management and assurance systems.• Supply Chain management and logistics including international

trade


Key areas for development• Approaches to employer engagement at course, departmental and

faculty level • Approaches to work placement• Technical skills delivery• Modularisation• Graduate Development Programmes for SME Employers• CPD for working designers• Business skills for designers• CPD for academic staff • Foundation Degrees: mapping existing provision, piloting WRL units

based around existing employer training programmes

Documents

Part of the Skills for Business network of 25 employer-led Sector Skills Councils Skillfast-uk Sector Skills Council for Apparel, Footwear, Textiles and