Leicestershire Textiles – Shaping the Future

Group A

Discussion Topic:What are the skills gaps now and in the future and how should the sector respond to this?

The Sector Growth Plan identifies issues:

  • Ageing workforce
  • Difficulties recruiting/Recruiting younger workers
  • Recruiting skilled staff
  • A centre of excellence for sampling, grading, and production to enable learning and skills development within the fashion and textiles industry

Question 1:

What roles and career pathways are available within the wider textiles sector and how do we make the roles attractive to younger generation?

Objectives:

Identify:

  • roles within the Textiles Sector
  • progression pathways if any
  • any existing opportunities for younger people
  • if the workplaces are suitable for younger people
  • if the businesses have a desire to train people at their expense

Question 2:

The sector growth plan tells us the need to develop A centre of excellence for sampling, grading, and production to enable learning and skills development within the fashion and textiles industry:

The development and running of Training & Skills centre requires vast experience, knowledge, skills and access to appropriate funding for example Fashion Enter (Jenny Holloway).

In your view who should be best place to move forward this initiative and why?

Objectives:

Establish:

  • Skills/commitment required for running a centre
  • Leading partners / committed individuals
  • Role of the retailer
  • How the model be made sustainable in long term

Question 3:

Consider each of the recommendations above, are there any other smarter ways that these recommendation may be delivered using existing facilities and services?

Objectives:

Establish

  • whether there is a better solution e.g. use of existing facilities like ShamaWomens Centre/Leicester College/Community Centre
  • if there is a better solution, what is it?
  • how the centre will have their trainees coming in (e.g. referral from businesses/JCP/Education)
  • how such setup be supported by various partners and employers

Next Steps:

  • Feedback at the end of the event and include any further comments from the audience
  • The typed notes will be sent to all attendees
  • Further discussions and possible scheme/programme development in consultation with the Textiles Steering Board

Leicestershire Textiles – Shaping the Future

Group B:

Discussion Topic:What business support will be needed in the future and how should this be delivered?

Action Plan suggested recommendations:

Business support function of the physical hub pulling together the Leicestershire business support offer that includes:

  • accessing grants
  • training & apprenticeships
  • recruitment support
  • assistance completing grant applications
  • advice and guidance on tax issues, business planning, marketing, customer engagement etc
  • the use of office space for meetings, seminars, networking and client engagement
  • hot desk space for designers and consultants
  • the physical hub supported by a business support advisor –external engagement

Question 1:

Are there any changes in support required?

Objectives:

Establish any changes

Question 2:

Do you think the ‘Physical Hub’ and resources required to run such services will be the best use of limited public finances and human resources?

Objectives:

Establish

  • the likelihood use of such physical location by businesses
  • options of possible locations / size / delivery partners
  • Hours of use
  • whether some existing services like LCB Depot be utilised for surgeries e.g. tax, business planning, etc

Question 3:

Consider each of the recommendations above, are there other smarter ways to achieve the same results?

Objectives:

Establish

  • whether there is a better solution e.g. one to one at business premises/Council offices with business adviser and referral to appropriate partners
  • demand for incubation/hot desk premises and suitability of Cultural Quarter (Creative Industries) for such demand
  • whether tailored workshops delivered by professionals on tax issues, business planning, marketing (inviting all registered textiles businesses) be a better option
  • detail of support that the businesses may be needed for recruitment; is there a role for Job Centre Plus?

Question 4:

There is a dedicate web based Textiles Hub on the Business Gateway web site – have you found this useful? What more could be done to make it more useful?

Objectives:

Establish: changes required to make the website fit for purpose

Next Steps:

  • Feedback at the end of the event and include any further comments from the audience
  • The typed notes will be sent to all attendees
  • Further discussions and possible scheme/programme development in consultation with the Textiles Steering Board

Leicestershire Textiles – Shaping the Future

Group C

Discussion Topic:How should the sector collectively respond to competitive, regulatory and innovation challenges?

Recent ETI report identifies:

  • Employees being paid below the national minimum wage
  • Cash in hand payments
  • Absence of employment contracts
  • Breaches in health and safety practices
  • Unauthorised sub-contracting
  • Poor enforcement of regulation and labour standards

Question 1:

It is understood that each retailer would have their own compliance requirement; meeting one set of standards does not automatically considered as ethical compliance by other retailers. In your view, what are the main reasons that drive the businesses to adopt non-compliant practices?

Objectives:

Establish:

  • Areas that requires attention
  • Identify partners that could work together in improving the sector image
  • Identify what actions should be taken to promote good businesses

Question 2:

Consider each of the core concerns above, what steps should be taken to address these issues?

Objectives:

Establish

  • what actions can be taken e.g. development of contract templates, specific workshops on employment law, etc.
  • organisation that could play a critical role in addressing the concerns
  • if businesses would welcome such initiatives

Next Steps:

  • Feedback at the end of the event and include any further comments from the audience
  • The typed notes will be sent to all attendees
  • Further discussions and possible scheme/programme development in consultation with the Textiles Steering Board