100% Graduate Employment for FTA Apprentices Thanks to HSBC

James Patterson, Area Director of Business Banking for HSBC in Central London, said: “Fashion Enter champions the garment fashion industry and provides vital employment opportunities for young people. As a not-for-profit company, it’s been essential that HSBC provided support to best enhance its growth and the ongoing facilities we’ve put in place have helped to ensure the smooth running of the business.

“HSBC has allocated £2.5 billion to support SMEs in London this year and Fashion Enter is a fantastic example of the type of businesses which can take advantage of the funding. London is one of the most competitive locations to start a business so this fund could give local companies a real edge to stand out from the industry crowd with, which Fashion Enter has so successfully done.”

Jenny Holloway, CEO of Fashion Enter, said: “Our training programme is the first apparel academy in Europe to operate alongside a fully operational factory, ensuring that our students receive real experience of manufacturing whilst they gain their qualifications. This combination has been a recipe for success and we’re delighted to announce that all of our 2015/16 level 3 and 4 apprentices are now in full time employment with leading companies such as M&S, ASOS.com, Topshop, River Island and many more.

“HSBC’s ongoing support throughout the evolution of our business has been integral to our development. The bank’s Central London team has provided sound business advice, reassurance and security throughout our growth, which in turn has allowed us to take greater calculated risks and introduce more and more young people to our apprenticeships programmes. We look forward to continuing this momentum with HSBC and creating further employment opportunities within the garment fashion industry.”

Fashion Enter is an award winning not-for-profit company which produces garments for some of the UK’s largest retailers, including Marks & Spencer, ASOS.com and Tesco. Launched in 2008 the business, which has trained over 400 people at its Fashion Training Academy, is reviving the garment manufacturing in the UK and champions the development of skills within the fashion industry.

To find out more about the Fashion Technology Academy click here