Cutting IT
Running the Fashion and Textile Museum and its Academy is only part of Newham College's broader commitment to the fashion industry.
Cutting IT is a four year project led by the college which has invested £4.5 million in the fashion, textile and apparel sector. Funded through the European Social Fund's EQUAL programme, the project has been identifying and addressing key issues that influence the sector's future economic viability.
With a unique collaboration of 13 partners reflecting the driving forces in the UK's fashion and textile sector, including suppliers, businesses, colleges and agencies, the project has focused on the needs of small/micro creative businesses representing 57% of this sector and 94% of those involved in designer fashion.
The Cutting IT project ends Dec 07 and will be mainstreaming not only the research gathered and created, but also disseminating the key messages and achievements on this website. Some key events were:-
Fashion Expo - 5/6 November 2007 Business Design Centre, Islington, London
Creative Clusters - 12 November 2007 Queen Elizabeth Hall, South Bank, London
Enterprise Week - 14 November 2007 London College of Communication, Elephant and Castle, London
You can find out more about the project's research key achievements, and political lobbying in this section of the Fashion and Textile Museum site.
Find out more about the project.
The Cutting IT project developed activities in four key areas:
- Skills and training
- Workforce and business development
- Mentoring networks
- Production and lean manufacturing.
As a result, Cutting IT partners have developed and test-bedded a rich seam of innovative long-term solutions addressing apparent barriers and assisting those involved in change.
In addition to working directly with those employed in the sector, Cutting IT is also actively informing policy development. Through the research, consultations and networks created, Cutting IT has been discussing policy issues to achieve long-term solutions to current market problems.
Find out more about the project.
Cutting IT - Key Areas of Development
1. SKILLS AND TRAINING
The Key Issues Access to appropriate, flexible training was limited within the sector, with the issue not around creative learning but practical and business skills development across all age groups. A lack of skilled workers is significantly affecting recruitment and business survival within the sector.
Activity
Skills gaps were identified with a series of research projects undertaken by Skillfast UK - the sector skills council for fashion and textiles. This led the development of a suite of qualifications, unique in that they are flexible, sector specific and appropriate and yet are short. These 'bite-sized' courses were designed in collaboration with the industry, employers, training providers and partners and are sustainable via the Learning and Skills Council curriculum database.
Two strands of activity have evolved:
1) The first at national level involves activity by the Lead Provider Network, a partnership led by Skillfast-UK, LSC and training providers representing national fashion based curriculum delivery. The group focus on national curriculum reviews and rationalisation to reflect current sector requirements with employer engagement and LSC buy in and respond to government policy such as the Leitch Review.
2) The second tier of activity involves development and delivery of new sector specific qualifications and vocational training. These have been delivered via sector specific working environments such as London Apparel and the Fashion and Textile Museum and address the needs for all age groups.
14 - 24 Age Group
- Specialised 14-19 Diplomas in Manufacturing, Apparel, Creative and Media - in association with Skillfast-UK and National policy
- Savile Row Bespoke Tailoring Pre-Apprentice and Apprenticeships - similar models of training have been developed in jewellery, leather and now theatrical costume making
- Fashion Futures 1 and 2 - intensive summer courses for students aspiring to work within the sector.
24+ Age Group
- A programme of short, bite sized industry relevant courses for all, from small sole traders to large-scale production/retail organisations. Concentrated in three areas:
- Practical Garment Construction - e.g. pattern cutting, tailoring
- ICT and IT Skills - e.g. CAD CAM, PrimaPrint, Kaledo
- Business Skills and Development e.g. Supply chain management, branding,
2. LEAN MANUFACTURING
The Key Issues Small production units dominate London's clothing manufacturing industry. These companies can be difficult to reach. Two barriers to commercial success are: the need to encourage and support structural and cultural change; and to access business support organisations who can offer tangible economic benefits for increased long term financial viability.
Activity Extensive background networking and negotiating with different groups of manufacturers is on-going, establishing a change in attitude and culture within the industry, breaking down communication barriers.
Cutting IT is also working with a pilot group of manufacturers to tangibly demonstrate the economic benefits of lean production and how to adapt within the changing market place.
The Production and Innovation Centre (PIC), is key to this work and trains sample machinists to be multi-skilled in a lean manufacturing environment. The centre can then work with both designers and manufacturers to break down communication barriers and improve collaboration and business effectiveness. As the unit advances manufacturers can join a preferred provider scheme as well benefit from the outreach work underway.
3. MENTORING
The Key Issues Entrants to the sector have learnt historically though mistakes and business failure. There is no formal, national mentoring structure for fashion designers. Without this support, true talent stands little chance of developing unless they have the correct contacts within the established couture circuit, an elite that doesn't always accurately reflect the diverse needs of the sector.
Activity The importance of mentoring was clearly demonstrated through a pilot programme, but it also established that mentoring in a one to one format is not financially sustainable. Peer to peer and mentoring networks represent greater flexibility. Cutting IT developed a unique partnership with the large majority of national Business Support Organisations (BSO's) within the fashion design and manufacturing sector - The Stakeholder Forum - this is now in a position to discuss frankly and openly the current environment and options for change.
In the research for the Stakeholder Forum, the availability of mentoring and other services was mapped nationally, culminating in the Fashion Business Support Guide. This guide indicates that not only is there very little repetition of support services available to designers nationally, but it appears there is a natural and apparently smooth progression route available, limited only by ability to access it. The Fashion Business Support Guide it is hoped will increase access to resources for designers and manufacturers and encourage greater partnership / networking between the BSO's.
4. BUSINESS AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
The Key Issues Cutting IT has focused on the strategic importance of ensuring access to sustainable business and workforce development resources as well as clear career pathways. Lack of access to support and in particular information on opportunities for career and skill progression needed to be addressed. In addition creating sustainable businesses and workforce development resources through effective sector specific networks, there was a need to encourage collaboration between design, production/manufacturing and retail.
Activity
Progression and career development :
All training created in consultation with employers was done so with progression in mind. With courses established with clear routes, depending on career choice, from those young students undertaking apprentice or summer schools through to Savile Row tailors becoming assessors to hand down experience and skills.
Through this work a clearer image of progression through the sector as a career option is being built up. Skillfast UK are combining this with the recent developments to profile specific job requirements to increase open access, to those entering as well as those within the industry.
Business Development
Business development for recent graduates was highlighted as an immediate issue within the sector and was addressed with the sector specific short courses outlined above. These coupled with access to peer to peer networks, design businesses in particular were encouraged to thrive and assisted through the historically difficult establishment phase.
Where manufacturers and production units were concerned access to these organisations was much harder. Historically this sector has not engaged with public funded bodies. However, a lot of negotiation and work has been undertaken with manufacturing units to ensure a level playing field. Culminating in lean production (see below) and the development of mutually beneficial relationships being established between manufacturer and buyers (retail) and or with manufacturers and designers (in-house collections). This change in culture and attitude has been under way for some time, however, Cutting IT has been fortunate to support London Apparel and Fashion Enter to ensure specific activities focused on this change in culture.
Knowledge transfer
Cutting IT has concentrated on creating sustainable networks through out the sector, to not only continue successful initiatives and activities, but also to encourage organisations to share information and knowledge.
Key networks that have been supported or created through the project are: the Stakeholder Forum, Manufacturers Online Showroom and the Lead Provider Network. Through these networks, it is hoped that access to resources and information is more transparent and has a long term viewpoint.
Cutting IT have 13 partners
- Newham College of Further Education - (NCFE)
- Skillfast UK (Sector Skills Council) - (SKILLFAST)
- Cambridge Training and Development Ltd - (CTAD)
- London Apparel Resource Centre - (LA)
- Fashion Awareness Direct - (FAD)
- Fashion-Enter - (Fashion-Enter)
- East London e-Learning - (ELEL)
- University of East London - (UEL)
- London Borough of Newham - (LBN)
- Business Link for London - (BL4L)
- City Fringe Partnerships (CFP)
- FashionWorks - (FashionWorks)
- Ideas Foundation - (IF)
