London Technical Fashion Academy in Shoreditch aims to break foreign outsourcing trend

Young Londoners will be trained in technical fashion skills like cutting, sewing and finishing to support the drive of companies to manufacture garments in the UK rather than outsourcing abroad.

Representatives from the fashion industry gathered in Hoxton for a tour of the facilities apprentices will use, at the launch of the London Technical Fashion Academy at Hackney Community College last week.

The project - which is a partnership between the college in Falkirk Street, industry body supporting training - Creative Skillset - and several companies re committed to using apprentices - has been two years in the making.

Daliah Simble, head of production and sourcing for womenswear brand Roland Mouret said the academy will be instrumental in supporting the growth of manufacturing in the UK..

She said: “Manufacturing at high street and luxury level is at a crucial point in London, with demand exceeding capacity.

“Many factories wish to expand and the time is right to support this growth by training young people in technical skills, to enter the fashion industry and have the opportunity to have viable paid and fulfilling careers.

Hackney Community College with its training division, View Training, will help companies to identify the training needed and will then manage recruitment of apprentices to train in clothing manufacturing, with options for specialist products like high end and leather goods.

The apprentices will work at the company four days a week and train at the college one day a week.

For more information see LTFA@hackney.ac.uk.