Member Article

Campaign launched to promote jobs within the textiles sector in Greater Manchester

An uplift in demand has meant that there is a skills gap within the textile industry in Greater Manchester.

To combat the shortage six ‘Textiles Teashops’ are to spring up around Greater Manchester throughout the summer in a new drive led by the Alliance Project, based at New Economy, to attract textile workers from Greater Manchester back into the industry.

The campaign, launched by Coronation Street stars Jennie McAlpine and Sair Khan, will promote the sectors careers opportunities, with immediate vacancies for sewing machinists, weavers, cutters, textiles operatives and samples machinists as well as supervisory, management and professional positions.

The industry is offering retraining for those returning to the sector and a range of fashion and textiles apprenticeships are available for those interested in joining the sector for the first time.

The Greater Manchester textiles industry currently employs 11,300 people, generating £650 million for the local economy.

This is set to rise and textiles employers estimate the creation of 400 new jobs each year over the next decade including 150 sewing machinist vacancies per year.

This is a result of an increase in demand for British made products and the need to rejuvenate the regions textiles workforce in order to meet this demand.

Managing director of the luxury British label Private White VC, James Eden, said: “We are expected to be able to respond quickly to the latest trends, and this is creating a second industrial revolution in Manchester.

“Thanks to improved technology brought on by the digital age, the gap in manufacturing costs between the UK and off-shore production has narrowed which means making textiles products in Britain, and indeed Manchester, is becoming economically viable again.

“We also find many fashion houses, and their customers, want to support British industry and this is great news for the sector.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Sophia Taha .