The fashion and textiles industry, with its technical processes and creative outlook, is one of the most dynamic industries in the UK economy. The sector contributed an astounding £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.

Yet, for all its success, it faces a significant challenge: a crippling skills shortage. This issue doesn’t stem from a lack of opportunity or demand for talent – it stems from a failure in the education and training system that is leaving the industry unable to meet its own needs.

The further education (FE) system, in its current form, is failing to nurture and develop the talent that the fashion and textile industry so desperately requires. From primary education all the way through to post-16 vocational training, the pathway to acquiring the necessary skills for the industry is broken. As the industry continues to evolve, so too must the way we educate and train the next generation of workers. But this transformation won’t happen on its own – it requires strategic action and collaboration from all stakeholders, from employers and training providers to government agencies and policymakers.

Related news: 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. Read more here.

A system that overlooks fashion and textile education

At the core of the issue lies the underrepresentation of fashion and textile education within the wider curriculum, particularly before the age of 16. Practical craft and making skills have largely been removed from schools, and the focus on academic achievement has left behind students who may excel in hands-on work but have few opportunities to explore and develop these talents. Without exposure to this vital field, young people have little chance to enter the industry, which is directly impacting the ability of businesses to recruit skilled workers.

The consequence of this oversight is a generation that is ill-prepared to meet the needs of the fashion and textile industry. These sectors rely heavily on skilled operatives – such as sewing machinists, leather craftspeople and textile manufacturing operatives – whose roles are often misunderstood or underappreciated. In the general public, these jobs can often be seen as “non-skilled”, a stigma that undermines their importance and keeps young people from considering them as viable career paths.

The strain on Further Education and training providers

Even for those who do choose to pursue fashion and textiles training post-16, the system remains a tough hurdle to clear. The further education sector is increasingly reliant on private and specialist training providers to deliver the work-based learning needed for the sector. However, these providers face numerous obstacles, from complicated and fluctuating funding systems to burdensome subcontracting arrangements with mainstream colleges. The introduction of the apprenticeship levy, intended to support training and development, has, in many ways, made the situation worse. While large companies benefit from the levy, smaller businesses – many of which form the backbone of the fashion and textiles industry – find it difficult to access the funds they need to train new employees.

The result is a training system that struggles to keep pace with the sector’s needs. Apprenticeship standards, which should be a key tool for developing the workforce, are inadequately funded, with many training providers only receiving two-thirds of the predicted delivery costs. This underfunding reinforces the notion that vocational education and training is a “second-class” alternative to academic routes. Yet, the reality is that skilled operatives are at the heart of the fashion and textiles industry – without them, the entire supply chain collapses. No amount of fashion design or retail will matter if there are no skilled workers to bring these ideas to life.

The challenge of specialist training in a system focused on numbers

The problem is further compounded by the fact that colleges are hesitant to offer vocational qualifications in fashion and textiles due to the high costs involved in setting up specialist machinery and hiring suitably-trained tutors. Traditional sectors such as construction, automotive and hairdressing have larger student intakes, making them more attractive to colleges. Fashion and textiles, often seen as a niche area, lacks the same appeal. This has created a vicious cycle where fashion and textiles education is seen as a “high-risk” investment, which in turn leads to fewer courses being offered.

Even when these courses do exist, they are often limited to general skills, which fail to provide the depth of knowledge required for specialised roles. In an industry where precision, expertise and craft are essential, a one-size-fits-all approach to education simply does not work. The industry needs training that reflects the specific demands of the sector – training that goes beyond the basics to equip young people with the skills they need to thrive in specialised roles.

Devolution and regional disparities

Regional disparities further exacerbate the situation. In some areas of the UK, such as the North West, East Midlands, and Yorkshire and the Humber, there are just a handful of training providers catering to fashion and textiles. Some regions, like East Anglia, don’t have any access to sector-related work-based learning at all. The situation is even worse in the Devolved Administrations, where only one or two providers exist in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland. This creates a postcode lottery for young people who may be interested in pursuing a career in fashion and textiles but have limited access to relevant education and training.

As the government continues to prioritise regional devolution, many areas face challenges in implementing effective training solutions without adequate sector knowledge. The lack of expertise in the fashion and textile sector within Combined Authorities and local agencies often means that skills development meetings are unhelpful, and the specific needs of the industry are overlooked. Trade associations and Sector Skills Bodies must play a more influential role in guiding decisions to ensure that training provisions align with the realities of the industry.

The system needs an overhaul

We believe that a collaborative, multi-stakeholder approach is needed to reform the education and training landscape. Here’s what needs to happen:

• Incentivise training providers: We need to encourage colleges and training providers to offer specialised fashion and textiles courses, particularly in niche areas, by moving away from a purely numbers-based funding model. There must be a greater emphasis on the ROI of offering courses that cater to smaller, specialist sectors.
• Invest in educators: There is an urgent need to train and recruit more educators with expertise in fashion and textiles at every level of education. This will ensure that young people are exposed to the industry from a young age and that the sector’s unique needs are met at every stage of learning.
• Reform funding systems: The apprenticeship levy system must be overhauled to ensure that smaller businesses have access to the training funds they need. Funding bands for apprenticeships should reflect the true costs of delivery, and private sector training providers should have greater access to non-levy contracts.
• Collaborate regionally: Local authorities and combined regions must work together with sector experts to develop region-specific training solutions that meet the needs of the fashion and textile industry. Devolution should be an opportunity to tailor training provision, not a barrier to it.
• Strengthen industry links: Employers, training providers and sector bodies need to work together to ensure that qualifications are aligned with industry needs. Employers should have a direct input into the development of curricula and the training of new talent.

The fashion and textile industry is integral to both the UK economy and its cultural identity. To ensure that it remains competitive on the global stage, we must make a concerted effort to address the skills shortage that is undermining its potential. By reforming the further education system, we can create a pipeline of talent that is both capable and committed to shaping the future of fashion and textiles in the UK and beyond.

What we’re doing

The points above are areas that only the Government can take the lead on, and we want to work collaboratively with all key stakeholders across the UK including Government departments (such as the DfE), national skills bodies, funding agencies, awarding organisations, qualification regulators and educators across all levels to make that happen. But to support the needs of our sector, we have led a series of interventions that aim to support the skills needs of our industry, today and in the future.

UKFT-led programmes include:

• UKFT Futures: A platform to promote career pathways in our sector, focused around specialised skills and job roles
• Careers campaign: An annual series of events promoting careers, jobs and opportunities in UK fashion and textiles across the UK, focused in key manufacturing hotspots
• Bursary schemes: Including the MADE IT, New Talent and Young Textile Technician programmes, which provide financial support and hands-on training to help new people enter and thrive in the industry
• Production Sewing Machinist (PSM) Programme: Provides flexible online training covering industrial sewing techniques, efficiency and employability skills.
• HM Prison PSM Project: Supports rehabilitation and employment by training prison instructors and connecting employers with skilled ex-offenders.
• The Licence to Sew programme: In partnership with West Lancashire Borough Council and The Sewing Rooms, addressing local manufacturing skills gaps.
• UKFT Approved: A scheme to ensure fashion and textile training provision is relevant, required and meets the needs of industry

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