10 Oct Advising on Courses and Careers at National Apprenticeship & Education Events

On October 8th, FEL and the UKFT took part in the National Apprenticeship & Education Events North London to promote the fashion and textiles industry to school leavers.

The event aimed to highlight the various career paths available in the fashion and textile industry, focusing on three main areas:

Get Inspired: Engaging content from individuals and businesses in the industry, including videos, stories, and profiles showcasing the wide range of career options, employers, and work environments.

Get Informed: Comprehensive information about the industry, its sub-sectors, and different job roles. This section provided insights into available jobs and careers, the nature of the work involved, potential earnings, and possible work locations.

Get Involved: A series of guides to help students find the best pathways into the industry, including information and advice about apprenticeships, internships, and traineeships. Assistance was also available for compiling CVs and portfolios. By signing up for UKFT Futures, students can receive news and updates about new opportunities, as well as job alerts for new entrants.

During the event, tutors from the Fashion Technology Academy and FC Designer Workspace – Manuela and Gintare, were present to provide information about the Level 1 to Level 3 courses, apprenticeships and opportunities at the Workspace, such as short courses and affordable studio space. Both tutors demonstrated upcycling and repair techniques on the stand to school leavers, teachers, parents, and group leaders, and all were encouraged to join in with small sewing and draping tasks.

Pattern tutor Manuela said: “It was a pleasure to attend the National Apprenticeships event alongside UKFT. We worked well as a team as they provided new members with work opportunities through apprenticeships, and we, as a training centre, were able to support new learners to gain the skills they needed to progress to their next steps. The young learners who are presently completing GCSEs and A-Levels were very professional, and they all asked extremely relevant questions pertaining to their career options. The event was well organised and we felt welcomed.”