Following the Governmentís pledge earlier this week to increase the share of workers with high level skills from 31% to 40% by 2020, Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) has today announced a link up with two further education colleges to offer courses for personnel in the fashion and textiles industry.
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Liverpool Community College, Wigan and Leigh College and MMUís Department of Clothing Design and Technology will join forces to run a series of short courses for technicians and managers already working in fashion, clothing technology and other related professions. The courses, part of the 159,000 North West Higher Level Skills Pathfinder programme, will be designed with industry and piloted from June.
Principal lecturer Angela Peers, who is also the Chair of the Hollings Facultyís Academic Enterprise Committee, said the collaboration would promote stronger links between education and industry. ìCompanies want to tackle particular issues or problems, and these are often quite ëpersonalí to an organization, so we will work with interested parties to design courses that address such issues which in turn help with staff development and long-term succession planning,î Angela said. ìThe courses may be delivered at the three partner institutions or on company premises, in the evening, or in one or three-day block mode. This is flexible depending on the organisationís requirements, with different modules being delivered by each institution.î
Junior managers, assistant buyers, technologists in fashion companies and design and product development staff and are being specifically targeted. ìThe collaboration will make it easier for those already in work to get a degree,î Angela said. ìThere may be employees who want to get a relevant qualification ñ and this progression route via our further education partners opens up new doors for them to achieve this goal.î
MMUís Department of Clothing Design and Technology has a proven track record for its work with industry. It has developed bespoke programmes for companies ranging from large British retailers to small and medium-sized enterprises in the North West. ìWe know what industry wants ñ and we look forward to building on existing relationships to make this new partnership a success,î Angela said.
MMU links up with further education colleges to upskill fashion and textiles employees
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