National industry organisations back Huddersfield textile training programme after government funding ends

A popular training programme run by Huddersfield’s Textile Centre of Excellence is returning after four national industry organisations stepped in to support it.

The Textile Manufacturing Skills Bootcamp gives learners an understanding of how textiles are made, from raw fibre through to finished fabric. It is open to people already working in the industry and those interested in starting a textile career.

Previous cohorts have been oversubscribed, but government funding is no longer available for the seventh programme. The Weavers’ Company, The Clothworkers’ Company, CAPITB Trust and The Woolmen Charity have provided support to enable it to go ahead. Their backing means the course remains 90% funded, with employers contributing £350 + VAT per delegate.

Delivered over 10 days spread across several months, the programme combines specialist teaching with visits to working textile businesses. Learners see processes including yarn production, weaving, dyeing and finishing first-hand, gaining an understanding of how the different parts of the industry fit together.

The visits will take learners to organisations including British Wool, Haworth Scouring, Lawton Yarns, Wooltex Spinning, Antich & Sons, Park Valley Dyers, Camira Fabrics, WT Johnson, Heckmondwike FB, Abraham Moon and AW Hainsworth.

Martin Jenkins, Director of Training at the Textile Centre of Excellence, said:

“When government funding was no longer available for this cohort, we did not want to lose a programme that has proved so valuable to our industry. We are hugely grateful to The Weavers’ Company, The Clothworkers’ Company, CAPITB Trust and The Woolmen Charity for stepping in and helping us make Cohort 7 possible.”

“Learners meet the people making textiles, see the machinery running and understand how decisions made at one stage affect everything that follows. It gives them an insight they simply cannot get from a classroom alone.”

“We announced the new dates only last week and the response has been remarkable, with just four places now remaining. It shows how much businesses value the opportunity to give their staff a broader understanding of textile manufacturing.”

For employees, the course offers a wider view of the industry beyond the processes they may see in their own workplace. For people hoping to enter textiles, it offers an introduction to the skills, businesses and career opportunities involved.

The Textile Centre of Excellence is an industry-owned, not-for-profit training provider based in Outlane, Huddersfield. The support for this latest cohort will allow more people to develop specialist textile skills and gain first-hand experience of the businesses that make up the industry.