The Textile Centre of Excellence proposal to establish a CoVE (Centre of Vocational Excellence) for Textile Manufacture has been approved by National CoVE Policy and Selection Panel.

The CoVE programme is central to the task of improving skills for employment and national competitiveness. The programme is primarily focused on delivering skills at level 3 and will enable the development, maintenance and delivery of high quality, specialist provision across a range of vocational areas.

The CoVE will focus on enhancing the skills of those in work, enhancing the employability of new entrants, and the employment prospects of those seeking work. It will aim to develop, maintain and deliver high quality, specialist provision that is innovative in delivering learning that develops both specialist and related general skills.

The CoVE will be extremely important to our industry as we seek to establish new arrangements to tailor training to better meet the needs of companies. The CoVE will be employer led; and companies will shape the content and delivery of skills training and qualifications. We aim to develop a learning network based on a virtual learning environment. A new progression opportunity to link apprenticeship level training to an appropriate Foundation Degree is also to be developed. We will be working with colleges, universities, the CBWT, other CoVE’s and Skillfast-UK to develop all aspects of the CoVE and to explore new areas of Technical Textiles and the development of new CD ROM materials as discussed in the “Higher Level Skills Training”.

The establishment of the CoVE at the Centre will benefit all of our members, and the industry as a whole. The CoVE will have National coverage across England and will be looking at developing three learning centres in other areas, serving 50 Level 3 apprentices in the first year, so we need your help!

A Steering Group is currently being set up and an Academic Sub Group is also to be formed. Marketing will start in the next few weeks. We will also be working with other CoVEs to share good practice and to develop a database of key industry contacts and other organisations.

In Year 1 we aim to introduce new systems for learner support recognising individual learning styles and the abilities required to undertake e/blended learning successfully. We will also identify appropriate sources of funding to support learners and encourage recruitment where fee levels present a barrier to participation, assisting employers to identify sources of financial support for relevant business application areas that might release funding for training.

For further information please contact John Warburton on 01484 346500.