Five university design students have undertaken paid internships at UK fashion and textile businesses including Cookson & Clegg, Nosakhari, London Contour Experts, LLUK and Toogood, as part of UKFT’s MADE IT scheme.

Students have been selected from the four participating universities on this year’s MADE IT programme: the University of Bolton, the University of Westminster, Manchester Metropolitan University and Buckinghamshire New University.

UKFT held a production and sourcing masterclass for fashion and textile design students at each university to promote the importance of production and sourcing within a rounded fashion education and to highlight the breadth of job opportunities across the supply chain. The sessions also highlighted the rich manufacturing expertise and specialisms within the UK.

Following the masterclasses, students took part in a production-focused project and UKFT selected winners to undertake the two-month internship scheme.

Elliot Barlow, UKFT’s manufacturing consultant, said: “These internships offer a unique insight into what it’s really like to work in UK fashion or textile production setting today and build on the skills and experience they have already gained through their courses. Whether they decide to take up one of the many opportunities that exist in the UK fashion and textile production sector or take that experience into a design role in future, we know this experience will be invaluable in furthering their careers and will have an impact on the future of the industry overall.”

The MADE IT students awarded internships

• Elena Faccioli, a second year student on the BA Fashion Design course at the University of Bolton, undertook an internship at Blackburn-based clothing manufacturer Cookson & Clegg
• Samuele Ricchiuti, a second year student on the BA Fashion Design course at the University of Westminster, undertook an internship at London-based leather specialist Nosakhari
• Georgia Clarke, a second year student on the BA Fashion Design course at the University of Westminster, undertook an internship at lingerie and intimate apparel specialist London Contour Experts
• Faron Heaphy, a second year student on the BA Fashion Design course at Manchester Metropolitan University, undertook an internship at Toogood, a contemporary British brand creating clothing, furniture and objects
• Sairra Holder, a second year student on the BA Fashion and Textiles course at the Buckinghamshire New University, undertook an internship at LLUK, which offers textile services to luxury brands

A lasting legacy

Following the internships, UKFT will be working with students and employers to develop two sets of publicly available collateral that aim to raise the quality and expectations of internships across the industry:

• Quality Internship collateral for students with the aim of showing them what a quality internship should look like.
• Quality Internship collateral for employers including frameworks for good quality delivery of an internship, example schemes of work and positive case studies.

Supporting UK manufacturing

UKFT’s MADE IT campaign is generously supported by The Clothworkers’ Company and CapitB. It is part of UKFT’s broader aim of supporting the future of the UK manufacturing sector, which includes running projects to support growth and innovation, promoting and matchmaking businesses and ensuring that the next generation of skilled people entering the sector are being trained to the highest level.

UKFT MADE IT