Behind the Label: eighteen month review

Scottish Enterprise Borders (SEB) obtained funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) for a two year initiative designed to attract talented young people into the Scottish textile industry, branded ‘Behind the Label’. The eighteen month review aimed to summarise the initiative’s activity between January 2000 and June 2001 and suggest objectives for discussion over the following six months.

A steering group was formed from P W staff, SEB staff and representatives from the textile industry and local schools. This review was collated from steering group meetings and reports on the progress of the initiative.

The central problem was found to be that young people were unwilling to enter the textile industry, rather than that the industry needed encouragement to recruit. Therefore, much focus was on reversing negative perceptions and facilitating links. Industry placements at this stage were less than was hoped for. Behind the Label had been very active in promoting itself through careers facilities. Together with the Education Business Partnership, enterprise days were set up at local schools. At the time, there were no school work experience placements in the textile industry, so all companies in the Behind the Label scheme agreed to take on school pupils.

No recommendations are made.