BC APPAREL SECTOR LMP
Addressing the significant skills shortages faced by premium and performance apparel companies in British Columbia.
Purpose of the project
The premium and performance apparel sector in BC is growing at exponential rates. The main goal of the BC Apparel Sector Labour Market Partnership (SLMP), formed between industry and government, is to address the significant skills shortages faced by apparel companies in British Columbia. Complementary work, in parallel to the LMP, is also being done by industry players on other topics such as innovation, supply chain and global branding.
Overview
Apparel is estimated to be the fourth largest component of the province’s manufacturing sector after food and beverage processing, value-added wood and paper manufacturing. This is the result of some keystone global brands, along with a thriving cluster of medium and boutique brands for high-end fashion, technical performance wear, athliesure wear and footwear.
The sector is facing some barriers to further growth and industry players have come together to collaborate on finding solutions to common challenges.
Labour Market Partnerships have five phases and the Apparel project has completed Phase 3 – Strategy Development.
Phase 1. Engagement:
The objectives of Phase 1 of the BC Apparel Labour Market Partnership were:
- Identify stakeholders
- Build awareness and create engagement in the project
- Develop a project framework and governance structure
- Develop project scope and terms of reference for the research phase
Timing: from September to December 2015
Phase 1 Report:
PHASE 2. LABOUR MARKET INFORMATION
The objectives of Phase 2 of the BC Apparel Labour Market Partnership were:
- Identify workforce challenges impacting industry
- Deepen understanding of workforce issues
- Conduct research to establish facts
Timing: from February to September 2016
Phase 2 Report:
Phase 3. STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY PLANNING
The objectives of Phase 3 of the BC Apparel Labour Market Partnership were:
- Identify best practices and potential strategies to address workforce issues
- Define and prioritize initiatives
- Develop strategy
- Establish success criteria for initiatives
- Create project sustainability plan
Timing: from February to August 2017
Working Groups:
Four working groups, one for each group of major themes identified in Phase 2, were established to develop strategies to mitigate workforce challenges and address barriers to growth:
Group 1. The Role of Post-Secondary Training
Group 2. Resolving Industrial Sewing Capacity
Group 3. The Role of Immigration in Specialized Skills
Group 4. Improving Youth Engagement and Diversity
Phase 3 Report:
Benefits for the Sector
Not counting those employed in retail positions, apparel businesses in British Columbia are reporting almost 9,000 anticipated vacancies by 2025. The LMP is an opportunity for apparel businesses to work together, with government support, to design and implement solutions to mitigate the skills shortages undermining the sector’s competitiveness.
