National Fashion and Textiles Group Training Association

Jenny Holloway, Director Fashion Enter, is honoured to be on the only national committee for the training for the industry. The new GTA will build on the successful and long-established GTA operation based at the Huddersfield Textile Centre of Excellence and will develop capacity and forge the collaborations between companies and training providers that are necessary to increase the uptake in Apprenticeships, raising awareness of support available, linking companies together to aggregate demand for Apprenticeships, brokering provision, linking to other skills initiatives and building in-company capacity.

 

Bill Macbeth, Managing Director of the Textile Centre of Excellence, said: “Our industry is facing some major challenges. The growth of the global market for top quality goods, the strength of the ‘Made in the UK’ brand, together with changes in off-shore manufacturing conditions, is stimulating the renaissance of our fashion and textiles manufacturing sector. If we are to capitalise on this opportunity we must improve the skills of our workforce at all levels. We need to rebuild capacity in our companies and we need to increase the number of motivated young people joining the sector and undertaking good quality apprenticeships.”

“Our new national Group Training Association will enable us to respond more effectively to the skills needs of employers and learners,” said Macbeth. “The GTA is employer-led and will create a strong partnership between companies, training providers and key industry bodies. Through the National Apprenticeship Service and Creative Skillset campaigns, we are already seeing an increase in the number of apprentices. We now need to build on that to ensure that our companies and our people achieve their full potential.”

Creative Skillset’s Head of Partnerships, Annie Warburton also commented: “The Fashion and Textiles Group Training Association will offer employers the chance to shape their own training agenda and enhance their workforce with the skills needed for future success. The GTA recognises that it is employers who are best placed to drive solutions to their own skills needs. Collaboration between employers large and small is at its heart and forms the core of the skills strategy for the Fashion and Textiles industries. With employers driving the initiative, working with the National Apprenticeship Service, Creative Skillset and quality training providers, this is an innovative, ambitious new partnership approach to attract, train and develop the talent that industry needs to compete and grow in a rapidly evolving market.”