The Young Textile Technician Fund was established to help UK textile businesses access and invest in advanced training for young textile technicians. By covering a substantial share of training costs, the fund supported companies to build highly-skilled teams, improve flexibility and stay competitive.
The Textile Technician Fund was designed to subsidise specialist training for young textile technicians, including roles in weaving, knitting, dyeing and machine operation, by matching 50% of the cost of in-depth training programmes. This helped businesses invest in workforce development where technical training can be costly or hard to access.
Please note that the Textile Technician Fund is currently closed to new applications.
Technical expertise is central to modern textile manufacturing. As new machinery, automation, advanced materials and processes evolve, businesses need technicians with deep technical skills to drive productivity and innovation.
The Young Textile Technician Fund aimed to reduce barriers to these specialised learning opportunities so that companies of all sizes could expand capability and retain talent.
The fund covered 50% of the cost of in-depth training for young textile technicians. Training was typically delivered by specialist machinery builders or at recognised training centres, often requiring overseas attendance depending on the course. Businesses applying to train eligible technicians could receive matched funding to support participation.
Eligibility points:
- Training must relate to textile technician capability such as weaving, knitting, spinning, dyeing or machine programming.
- Applicant businesses were based in the UK.
- Technicians in training needed to be under a specified age threshold (up to 35 years old).
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The Textile Technician Fund supported dozens of technical placements and training experiences across the UK textile sector. These ranged from loom technician courses and advanced dye training to software programming and multi-skill machine operation. Evidence from participating businesses highlights how tailored training expanded capability, improved efficiency and broadened technical skill sets within teams.
Generous support from CapitB, The Worshipful Company of Weavers, The Worshipful Company of Clothworkers and The Worshipful Company of Drapers underpinned the Textile Technician Fund, enabling UKFT to help companies invest in vital technical training.
These partnerships reflect a long tradition of Livery Companies contributing to skills development and workforce readiness across the textile industry.
In addition to the Textile Technician Fund, UKFT provides access to a range of funding sources and training initiatives to support skills development. These include apprenticeship funding and bursary programmes for internships. Contact the Skills & Training team to find the best solution for your organisation’s needs.
If your business is exploring textile training, skills development or funding routes, UKFT’s Skills & Training team can provide guidance on available options, employer eligibility and application pathways. Connect with our team to review opportunities tailored to your needs.
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