Textile manufacturing in the UK has an international reputation for quality and heritage and it is an industry that is thriving and constantly developing, with textile innovation in the UK ranked number three in the world.

There are approximately 4,200 textile manufacturing companies in the UK who employ 65,000 people between them.

The majority of textile manufacturing businesses in the UK are SME in size but the scale of production is still significant, with total UK production value close to £6 billion annually.

In order to retain this global edge, the industry relies on formal apprenticeship training to ensure their workforce is skilled to the highest level. Apprenticeship training can be used to bring new talent into a range of roles including carding, spinning, twisting and warping.

In order to make sure their training remains up to date, the textile industry has recently come together to develop a new apprenticeship for a Textile Manufacturing Operative. Apprentices on the new standard would typically learn about or develop skills in:

• Raw Materials
• Quality Standards
• Textile Manufacturing Techniques
• Textile Machinery Operations
• Textile Manufacturing Maintenance
• Health, Safety & Welfare
• The Environment
• How to interpret Data & Instructions
• Collaboration & Adaptability

On completion of their training, an apprentice would be able to stay in production and with further training and experience they could progress into management, or one of many specialist roles across a range of textile sub sectors.