In a groundbreaking move to bolster the UK textile industry’s future, the UK Fashion and Textile Association (UKFT) has announced the launch of a £670,000 bursary scheme. This initiative is set to support 15 students pursuing the innovative three-year Textile Innovation and Sustainability BSc course at the University of Leeds.
The bursary scheme, generously funded by the Textile Livery Group and various textile-related charities, aims to empower students with a profound passion for textiles to tackle the pressing environmental and social challenges of the future. This remarkable opportunity will cover 50% of student fees and provide vital contributions toward living expenses. Importantly, it’s open to UK students enrolling in the new University of Leeds course, commencing in September 2024.
This comprehensive three-year program, which also offers an optional industry placement year, is anticipated to significantly reduce barriers to entry into the UK textile industry. David Collinge, representing the Worshipful Company of Weavers, which played a pivotal role in shaping the curriculum, emphasizes the aspirational goal of making this course the ‘go-to’ destination for textile employers looking to recruit skilled and industry-relevant textile technology graduates.
The Textile Innovation and Sustainability BSc course is designed to equip students with an in-depth understanding of sustainable textile materials, processes, and products. The curriculum has been meticulously crafted to meet the actual needs of the industry, with businesses actively involved in offering valuable placement and employment opportunities. The program includes mandatory modules providing a broad understanding of textiles, while also offering optional modules for students to specialize according to their career aspirations.
Adam Mansell, the CEO of UKFT, underscores the pressing need for new talent in the UK textile industry, where many technologists are nearing retirement age. He comments, “With many industry technologists aged 55 and over, there is a real need for younger trained professionals to fill their shoes as they retire. The design and launch of the course has received widespread support from the UK textile industry.” Leading retailers, designer brands, and textile manufacturers have voiced their support, highlighting the urgency of such training in the UK.
The course content is a fusion of responsible fashion, sustainable textile manufacturing, knitted textiles and processes, nonwoven products and processes, textile coloration and finishing, and technical textiles. In the final year, students will undertake a major research project, further cementing their expertise in the field.
This initiative promises to breathe new life into the UK textile industry, nurturing a generation of textile technologists equipped to tackle global environmental and social challenges while revolutionizing the landscape of sustainable fashion and textiles. With industry backing and a visionary curriculum, the Textile Innovation and Sustainability BSc course at the University of Leeds is set to become a beacon for the future of the textile industry in the United Kingdom.