Source: Working Futures 2006, table 3.5.2.  Based on CE/IER estimates.

The requirements for entry and progression within the sector are as follows:

• The typical entry requirement for professional and associate professional staff within the sector is at S/NVQ Level 4 and above.
• For management staff, a degree in a scientific or engineering discipline is sometimes required for technical managers, but other employers look for generic management qualifications. Many existing managers have progressed through the ranks and hold trade apprenticeships or basic academic awards as their highest qualification.
• For skilled trades and handcraft occupations, there is typically no formal entry requirement. New entrants often receive on and off-the-job training against Level 3 standards.
• There tend to be no formal entry requirements for workers in more routine operative roles either, with in-house and on-the-job training available. In those cases where structured development is provided it typically leads to a qualification at Level 2.

Source: Skills Needs Assessment 2005a

For details of occupational entry routes and progression within the sector together with qualification requirements see:

The level of median gross weekly earnings for workers in the two manufacturing industries covered by the sector is around 80% of that for the whole economy.

Median gross weekly wages of:

• launderers and dry cleaners was £176 in 2004, 90% of the average for the elementary occupations category
• skilled craft workers in the textiles and garments trades industry achieved median earnings of £313, 81% of the average for the skilled trades category as a whole
• sewing machinists at £215, 62% of the average for the process, plant and machine operatives category

In the apparel, footwear and textiles sector, low wages are a result of employers being unable to adjust wages because of the competitive position of some industries and the poor level of profitability of individual firms.

Source: Skills Needs Assessment 2005a

The changing occupational profile of employment reflects the fundamental restructuring process that the sector is undergoing. As manufacturing activity has continued to move offshore, demand for workers with manufacturing and process-related skills has decreased.

Over the last 3 years (2001-2004), the following changes have been evident:

• 30% growth in the professional and associate professional/technical occupational groups resulting from an increase in the number of designers
• stabilisation in the number of managers – only a 4% increase,  movement towards commercial roles such as marketing and sales managers
• static levels of administrative/clerical and sales/customer care occupations
• 25% decrease in the number of skilled and semi-skilled manual jobs – impacting weavers and knitters and maintenance engineers fitters 
• 33% decrease in operative occupations impacting the number of sewing machinists and textiles process operatives
• 20% decline in elementary occupations
• increase in administrative, technical and elementary occupations resulting from increased sourcing and trading within the sector.

Over the next decade, there will be a loss of employment in all major occupational groups, with the exception of sales occupations. The biggest contributor to a total net loss of over 85,000 jobs will be the loss of over 40,000 operative jobs

Source: Working Futures 2006 and Skills Needs Assessment 2005a

Overall, there will be recruitment requirement of 27,000 over the next decade. Managers, associate professional/technical and sales occupations are expected to see the largest positive recruitment requirements. These occupations represent medium and longer-term priority areas in respect of ensuring that skilled labour is available to the sector.

At a detailed occupational level it is expected that the recruitment requirement will be greatest for:

• designers and garment technologists
• managers – including production managers and sales and marketing managers
• sales and marketing associate professionals
• carpet fitters
• sales assistants and customer care occupations.

There is an estimated 1,112 skills shortage vacancies in the sector, which is equivalent to 1% of employment within the sector. This is affecting 4% of organisations in England. The incidence of skills shortage vacancies is similar to the average for the whole economy.

Source: Working Futures 2006 and Skills Needs Assessment 2005a