UKFT has helped to secure a 100% increase in funding for the sewing machinist apprenticeship delivery in England, which is expected to boost access to training and help to close the skills gap in our sector.

UKFT has been working in partnership with the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) and the Employer Trailblazer group, chaired by Pamela Holland, HR director at David Nieper, to review and revamp the Level 2 Sewing Machinist Apprenticeship standard. Together the group has managed to increase the funding band and simplify the End Point Assessment methods.

The Sewing Machinist Apprenticeship was approved for delivery in August 2018 but by June 2023, only 69 people had started the training. Based on industry forecasts, UKFT expected this number to be in the hundreds as sewing machinists are in high demand across a range of fashion and textile sub-sectors, including aviation textiles, clothing, leather goods, marine textiles, medical textiles and soft furnishings.

Celia Thornley, UKFT’s Skills and Training Manage, said: “Upon investigation we found that the funding band allocated by IfATE did not cover the delivery costs, therefore training providers have struggled to engage with employers and individuals. Out of the nine training providers who have delivered the apprenticeship so far, seven of them have had five or less starts in total over the last five years.”

UKFT also discovered that in some cases the Lean Manufacturing Operative Apprenticeship was being delivered to sewing machinists as it secures more funding, which meant learners were receiving generic, inappropriate training for the skillset and put both the learners and employers at a disadvantage.

As a result of the review, IfATE approved the revised assessment method and the funding band recommendation. The Secretary of State has now accepted the new recommendation and the funding has increased from £4,000 per learner to £8,000.

This means the new funding band is now reflective of delivery costs and the End Point Assessment still meets quality standards, but is much simpler to deliver. This will make a significant difference to training providers and employers who have struggled with the cost of delivery, and to the learners who will receive the appropriate training to become valued, competent sewing machinists.

Adam Mansell, CEO of UKFT, said: “This substantial increase in funding for apprenticeship delivery will be a real boost to the sector, ensuring that more individuals can access quality training and employers can get the skills they need. This comes at a crucial time when the job market is evolving rapidly and the need for skilled workers is more pronounced than ever. Combined with many of our other projects to attract new people into the sector and create a future-fit manufacturing industry, this will help to establish sustainable growth across the entire UK fashion and textile supply chain.”

The new revised apprenticeship version is now available on the link below.

REVISED SEWING MACHINIST APPRENTICESHIP (updated December 2023)