UKFT is dedicated to working with universities, colleges and training providers to ensure that highly skilled people continue to enter into the UK fashion and textile industry. As part of this commitment, UKFT met with Education Partners last week in a series of meetings to explore opportunities to collaborate, drive change and influence the future education landscape for the fashion and textile sector.

Over two days the meetings brought together partners from industry and education from across the UK for a series of industry briefings, panel sessions, workshops and sandbox discussions.

The Higher Education Partners met at De Montfort University in Leicester on Tuesday 11 July with a panel of industry experts including Tim Clark (John Smedley), Samantha Hardy​ (Colorfix), Daliah Hearn (Poster Girl) and Simon Platts (Simon Platts Consulting) to discuss ‘The Future Graduate: What industry needs’.

At the UKFT offices  in London on 12 July Education Partners from Further Education and Private Provision were joined by a panel including Brita Hirsch (The Tailoring Academy Ltd.), Julia McGlashan, (Johnstons of Elgin) and Mark Compton (Salford City College Group). The agenda explored successful training and employment initiatives in the sector and how we can unlock the potential of our education system to deliver skilled people into fashion and textile employment.

A meeting will be hosted later in the year to follow up on the outcomes and shared ambitions highlighted in these sessions.