During this past week (9th – 16th January 2020) Fashion-Enter and the FTA has welcomed three groups of secondary school children from the Beth Jacob Grammar School for Girls based in Hendon, North London.
Made up of students opting for the fashion & textiles pathway at school the pupils were eager to learn how an ethical, SMETA approved factory works. The visits also provided the perfect opportunity to showcase how important manufacturing skills are, how STEM – Science, Technology, English and Maths are incorporated into production skills and that there is more to fashion than just design.
Production Director Caroline Ash led each group and noticed that the pupils were switched-on and knowledgeable. After a brief introduction, they visited the Stitching Academy where Ana showed them what is taught and notes were compared on how to construct a shirt.
Caroline then covered a factory tour – including cutting and going in-depth into what each machine does, pressing and finishing, how long each operation takes and how to maintain quality. The pupils were amazed at how fast and efficient the machinists were. The group then covered pattern cutting and design and discussed the role of a buyer.
The session concluded with a Health and Safety observation task, a talk about future technology in manufacturing and ended with and very interactive Q&A session.
Caroline commented: “This was another great visit from this fantastic school, this time with a slant on business studies. There were some good and well thought out questions and a lot of interaction, which resulted in a lot being learnt in a very limited time. They were a delight and an absolute credit to their teachers and school.”
Feedback included: “Today I learnt about lean production, about the latest technology in the fashion industry and about ethics.” – Libby
“After this seminar I have more perspective on how clothes are made at a factory. Thank-you so much – we had a great day.” – Shiri
Since 2006 Fashion-Enter has provided learners at HE, FE and secondary schools a unique insight into the world of fashion. If you are interested in a factory tour tap this link to find out more.