Fashion-Enter Ltd (FEL) is an award winning social enterprise incorporated in 2006 to create a centre of excellence in garment manufacturing and the training of industrial skills. The 100 plus workforce is from 12 different nationalities and 10% of the workforce is differently-abled. FEL established the UK’s first Fashion Technology Academy with private and public funding and created new qualifications that industry needed in stitching and pattern making with ABC Awards.
Since 2008 FEL is the first training provider to work on Fashion and Textiles apprenticeships and was awarded the first direct ESFA levy contract in 2015. Following a successful monitoring visit by Ofsted, FEL is now expanding its training provision working with over 30 retailers and expanding into other operational areas such as retail and incubation space following the success award of bids with Islington Council and Haringey Council.
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CEO and founder Jenny Holloway spent over 20 years in the private sector working in senior positions with M&S, Littlewoods and the Arcadia Group which has created a deep network of senior level contacts that have been successfully entwined into the FEL unique business model. A self-sustaining enterprise that networks with senior stakeholders such as MakeUK (EEF), UKFT and BFC FEL has a database from its established portal for the industry www.fashioncapital.co.uk of over 32,000 – this is a major communication and marketing tool that has greatly aided the success of bids and programmes. FEL has grown substantially over the last 14 years and networks at senior levels with government bodies supporting the industry at both the macro and micro level.
Their production is split into three core areas; The Factory which has a minimum quantity of 500 units, The Couturier which has a minimum of 50 to 499 and the Fashion Studio which can produce any garment and provides a well established sampling and press sample service combined with short run production of up to 50 units. Currently the Fashion Studio has over 70 clients which are start up and scale up brands plus LFW designers use the services such as Matthew Williamson.
FEL currently produces 10,000 garments a week for blue-chip multinationals such as Tesco, Asos and M&Co in their SMETA and Fast Forwarded audited factory. In addition, their Fashion Studio services support 73 small start-up brands where the minimum quantity is one. FEL is nimble, dynamic and understands the needs of businesses today.
Contract example 2: Flexible Support Fund Programme
FEL was awarded for three years running the Flexible Support Fund programme to help unemployed people gain skills and pathways into employment. The overall achievements agreed with DWP from 2015 to 2017 were 154 starts out of 100 agreed, 100 completions out of 110 agreed, 46 job outcomes out of 22 agreed.
Since 2010 FEL has provided level 1 and 2 qualifications on a subcontracted basis with Waltham Forest College and Newham College. Year on year the budgets were surpassed and extended
· 2018/19 Pass rates
o Level 1 Pass rate: 75.96% set to increase to 97.11% by end of current academic year
o Level 2 Pass rate: 63.44% set to increase to 90.32% by end of current academic year
· Previous Level 1 Pass rates
o 91% in 2014/15 Academic year (national rate was 89.2%)
o 87% in 2015/16 Academic year (national rate was 89.2%)
o 82.05% in 2016/17 Academic (national rate was 76%)
o 86.66% in 2017/18 Academic year (national average was 86.8%)
· Previous Level 2 Pass rates
o 88% in 2014/15 Academic year (national rate was 89.2%)
o 100% in 2015/16 Academic year (national rate was 89.2%)
o 97.72% in 2016/17 Academic year (national rate was 76%)
o 88% in 2017/18 Academic year, 1.2% above the national average (86.8%)
In June 2017 FEL obtained their first direct funded budget for apprenticeships. FEL engages with over 30 retailers and successfully delivers apprenticeships from level 2-5. The recent Monitoring Visit from OFSTED provided FEL with a strong report https://files.api.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/50089396 with two “significant progress” and one “reasonable progress which was for Safeguarding (this was however because there were no safeguarding issues!).
The pass rate for Direct funded apprenticeships in academic year 2018/19 is 100%.
Jenny Holloway CEO commented further: “We were delighted with the feedback received and it’s important that we keep moving forward with our learning agenda – we have a QIP (Quality Improvement Plan) whereby each month we review how we can provide a training resources that ensures our learners have the best personal skills such as understanding the importance of team working yet still be independent and work with initiative. How to develop effective communication and listening skills are also important. We also embed employability skills such as CV writing, presentation skills and negotiation skills using external support where required. We also understand that in life, however much we plan, a curve ball can very much come and take us off our feet and that’s why physical and mental health considerations are always at the forefront of our training and we use the excellent services of Eric Gilston.
“In addition we are very mindful of safeguarding, equality and diversity and encourage all to express their ways of individuality with correct empathy to others. Our own workforce comprises of over 10% who are differently-abled and each one makes a huge difference to the total of the company. Finally its important to have due considerations of Prevent and British Values and these two important areas are discussed within the classroom environment especially if there has been any issues within London with teorrist activity. Learning today is about the quality of the entire learning journey. It is not a tick box of activities to see if the syllabus is completed. Learning has to be in its entirety and we expect our learners to leave with “unconscious competency” when they walk out of units upon completion of their courses.”
- Unconscious incompetence. The individual does not understand or know how to do something and does not necessarily recognize the deficit. …
- Conscious incompetence. …
- Conscious competence. …
- Unconscious competence.
For further information regarding FEL’s courses please contact: esme@fashion-enter.com
For further information regarding FEL’s production services please contact: angela@fashion-enter.com