UKFT has submitted a response to the Education Committee’s inquiry into Further Education, highlighting the critical skills crisis in the fashion and textile industry caused by gaps in education, training and industry alignment, which hinder the development of a skilled workforce.

The fashion and textile industry contributed £62 billion to the UK’s GDP in 2021, supporting 1.3 million jobs across the country and generating over £23 billion in tax revenues. This translates to £1 in every £34 of the UK’s total Gross Value Added (GVA) contribution, one in every 25 jobs in the UK and £1 in every £30 of HMRC’s total tax receipts.

However despite these successes, the sector struggles to train, retain and attract the best talent due to insufficient vocational education and a lack of craft and relevant making skills taught in schools. There is a disconnect between Further Education, industry needs and qualification bodies, which leads to a shortage of relevant training. Finally, funding challenges, regional disparities and a shortage of qualified educators hinder the development of specialised skills required for the sector.

Read the full submission here.

Comment: Why the Further Education system is failing the UK fashion and textile industry – and what needs to change

The issues that exist with the current system

Lack of vocational education and craft skills in pre-16 education

• The education system has reduced focus on practical craft and making skills at the primary and secondary levels, which are essential for the fashion and textiles sector.
• The sector suffers from a lack of skills training from an early age, leading to a shortage of skilled workers in the industry.

Insufficient vocational training in Further Education

• The absence of vocational fashion and textile courses in colleges and the shortage of qualified educators hinder the development of skilled operatives.
• Skilled operatives, such as sewing machinists and leather craftspeople, are vital to the industry and are in short supply.

Misunderstanding of Level 2 Skilled Operative roles

• Skilled operative roles at Level 2 are crucial to the industry, yet they are often viewed as “non-skilled” positions, undermining their importance.
• Without these skilled workers, the entire fashion supply chain (design, manufacturing and retail) would collapse.

Fashion and textiles largely ignored in pre-16 education

• Fashion and textiles are often overlooked in the education system, leaving students with little to no exposure to the industry.
• There is a lack of relevant making skills taught in schools, which deters students from pursuing careers in the sector.

Challenges in delivering quality education

• A disconnect between Sector Skills Bodies, Awarding Organisations (AOs) and employers results in a lack of relevant qualifications and industry-relevant skills.
• Despite the introduction of the ‘T’ Levels, they lack the depth required for individuals to be prepared for skilled roles in the fashion and textile sector.

Issues with ‘T’ Levels and post-16 training

• ‘T’ Levels provide a broad overview but do not provide the specialised, in-depth training needed for skilled roles.
• Current funding structures limit the options for learners with ‘T’ Levels, preventing them from progressing into Level 4 or higher training.
• Work placements for ‘T’ Levels are difficult to implement in the fashion and textiles sector, especially due to the predominance of micro/SMEs.

Loss of specialist Level 3 qualifications

• Recent reviews of Level 3 qualifications have led to the loss of vital fashion and textile courses, impacting the industry’s ability to train skilled workers.
• The loss of qualifications, particularly in Northern Ireland, has compounded the issue of attracting new talent.

Gap between education and industry needs

• Fashion and textile companies, especially micro-SMEs, struggle to access relevant training provision because many colleges focus on traditional sectors with large student numbers.
• The cost of setting up specialist facilities and hiring trained tutors makes it unfeasible for colleges to offer courses in fashion and textiles.

Lack of educators and trainers

• There is a shortage of qualified fashion and textiles educators at all levels, from primary education to higher-level teaching in colleges.
• This shortage contributes to a lack of investment in fashion and textiles education within institutions.

Impact of the Apprenticeship Levy

• The fall in apprenticeship numbers is due to the introduction of a complex and constantly changing funding system that primarily supports large, levy-paying companies. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are left disadvantaged, as most companies in fashion and textiles are SMEs.
• Private and specialist training providers are heavily reliant on sub-contracting arrangements with mainstream colleges to deliver essential industry training, but the introduction of the apprenticeship levy has created severe problems, making it difficult for employers to access the training they need.
• Apprenticeship Standard funding bands are insufficient, often covering only two-thirds of predicted delivery costs. This underfunding reinforces the perception that vocational training is less important than other education streams.

Role of devolution in skills needs and apprenticeships

• While regional devolution offers the potential to tailor training interventions to local industries, Vocational Qualifications for fashion and textiles are being withdrawn due to low enrolment numbers (less than 100 per year), leaving few specialist training options.
• Combined Authorities/Chambers of Commerce need to establish sector-specific expertise to make training interventions more relevant and effective. Without this expertise, skills development efforts are often unproductive.
• Trade associations and Sector Skills Bodies should have a stronger role in guiding these decisions to ensure the needs of the fashion and textiles sector are met.

Regional disparities in access to fashion and textile training

• Regional delivery arrangements for fashion and textile training have failed to meet the demand for work-based learning provision across the UK.
• Areas with high textile manufacturing, such as the North West, East Midlands, and Yorkshire and the Humber, only have a few training providers, and even fewer offer appropriate apprenticeship standards.
• In some regions, such as East Anglia, there is no access to fashion and textiles-specific work-based learning.
• This shortage is even more acute in Devolved Administrations like Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland, where access to sector-specific training is severely limited.
• As a result, employers face barriers to training their workforce, which diminishes opportunities for young people and hinders social mobility, especially in areas with high levels of deprivation.

UKFT’s recommendations on ways to address these systemic issues

We have proposed a series of changes that would help the UK fashion and textile industry build a sustainable, skilled workforce capable of meeting the demands of both the industry and its international markets, while also improving access for young people and addressing regional disparities.

Incentivise training providers

Encourage colleges and training providers to offer fashion and textiles courses, particularly in niche sectors, by moving away from a numbers-based funding model and improving return on investment (ROI).

Support educators at all levels

Invest in training and supply of educators across all levels of education to teach fashion and textile skills, from primary schools to vocational training colleges.

Allow access to non-levy contracts for private providers

Enable private sector training providers to access non-levy contracts so that they can deliver necessary training for the fashion and textile industry.

Expand funding for work-based learning

Expand the Growth & Skills levy fund to include work-based learning provision (both non-accredited and accredited) that is aligned with industry-specific needs in fashion and textiles.

Allow the retention of unspent fashion and textile levy funds

Ensure that unspent fashion and textile levy funds are retained within the sector and allocated to support SMEs in training their workforce.

Improve pathways between ‘T’ Levels and apprenticeships

Provide more flexible progression routes from ‘T’ Levels to apprenticeships and specialist courses at lower levels by funding learners at a more appropriate level.

Strengthen collaboration with employers and stakeholders

Foster greater collaboration between employers, training providers, universities and other stakeholders to identify skill gaps and develop targeted training solutions.

Support the development of home-grown talent

Focus on the development of home-grown talent through better vocational education to ensure the fashion and textile industry can remain competitive on a global scale.

Revise funding for apprenticeships and specialist training

Address the overcomplicated funding system, particularly regarding the apprenticeship levy, to make it accessible for SMEs, and ensure that funding bands reflect the true cost of training. Enable private and specialist training providers to access the necessary funding without relying on complex sub-contracting arrangements.

Develop regional solutions for training gaps

Ensure that Combined Authorities and local agencies have the expertise and resources to meet the specific needs of the fashion and textile industry within their regions. This includes providing better access to vocational qualifications and ensuring that training providers are available in regional hotspots for textile and garment manufacturing.

Comment: Why the Further Education system is failing the UK fashion and textile industry – and what needs to change

UKFT Skills & Training

As the Government appointed Sector Skills Body (SSB) for fashion and textiles, UKFT works to address critical skills gaps and develop industry-led solutions. We help to elevate the skills of the UK fashion and textile industry to maintain its competitive position globally. 

We bring together education and industry to respond to current and future workforce requirements. We develop new vocational and academic routes that meet the needs of business and promote careers and opportunities to the next generation. 

We help fashion and textile businesses to attract, train and retain the best. 

UKFT SKILLS & TRAINING