Want to work in the textiles industry? Watch this!

Summary

The video script highlights the diverse and rewarding career opportunities in the textile fabrication industry, emphasizing the creative and hands-on nature of the work. It addresses the current skill shortage and encourages young people to consider this trade, which offers on-the-job training and formal qualifications. The script shares personal success stories, showcasing career progression from apprentice to business partner, and highlights the industry's tight-knit culture. It positions the trade as an ideal fit for creative, hands-on individuals seeking a mentally stimulating and financially independent career.

Takeaways

• 😀 The trade is exciting for young people as it offers a variety of work beyond just sewing or cutting fabric.
• 🏭 It encompasses areas like shading sails, awnings, industrial canopies, and marine terminal work, involving hands-on machinery and design.
• 💡 The work is custom and creative, with individuals designing their projects from scratch, seeing them come to life from fabric to finished product.
• 📈 There is a skill shortage in the textile fabricating industry, with employers seeking young and keen individuals.
• 📍 Many young people are unaware of the industry, assuming everything is imported, while a lot is still made in Australia.
• 🛠️ The trade offers various career pathways post-apprenticeship, including production management and even becoming a business shareholder or director.
• 👷‍♂️ No prior experience is needed for this trade, with on-the-job training and formal qualifications available.
• 👥 The industry is tight-knit and has a culture that keeps people connected and inspired.
• 🔧 The speaker's personal journey started with general work and evolved into an apprenticeship, leading to various roles including becoming a business partner.
• 👐 The trade is suitable for young people who are hands-on, creative, and enjoy problem-solving through building and designing.
• 💼 The industry offers financial independence and has a positive impact on personal growth and lifestyle.

Q & A

What is the scope of work for a young person in the textile fabric industry?

The scope of work is varied, including shading sails, awnings, industrial canopies for 4WDs and off-road caravans, and marine applications. It involves hands-on machinery work, design, and computer-aided design output.

What makes the training in this trade unique?

The training is unique because it allows for creativity and innovation; trainees are not just told what to build but are encouraged to design and think of their creations, seeing them come to life from raw materials.

How does the speaker describe the process of seeing a project from start to finish?

The speaker compares it to the surprise of Christmas Day, where the final product is unveiled and assessed, much like a present being unwrapped and revealed.

What is the current state of the textile fabricator market in terms of workforce?

The market is experiencing a skill shortage with gaps everywhere, and there is a lack of awareness among young people about the industry, leading to an aging population in the field.

Why do employers in the textile industry want to attract young people?

Employers want to attract young people to fill the skill shortage and to bring fresh ideas and innovation to the industry, as many products are still made in Australia.

What career pathways are available for an apprentice in the textile trade after qualification?

Apprentices can progress to various roles within the company, including production management, general management, and even becoming a shareholder or director of the business.

What kind of prior experience is needed for someone entering the textile trade?

No prior experience is needed as there is on-the-job training available along with formal qualifications through TAFE colleges.

How does the industry maintain a tight-knit culture and keep people inspired?

The industry is described as very tight-knit, with a culture that keeps people connected and inspired, offering a supportive environment for growth and learning.

Can you share a personal story from the transcript about career progression in the textile trade?

The speaker shares a story of starting as a general hand, then becoming an apprentice, working as a carpenter, returning to the business as a production manager, training apprentices, and eventually becoming a partner and general manager.

What qualities does the speaker believe are suited for someone entering the textile trade?

The speaker believes that the trade suits young people who are hands-on, creative, and enjoy building and problem-solving, with a desire to create and innovate.

How does the speaker describe the experience of working in the textile trade?

The speaker describes it as captivating and mentally stimulating, ensuring that one never gets bored, and it has provided financial independence and personal growth.

Outlines

00:00

😀 Exciting Opportunities in Textile Fabrication

This paragraph introduces the dynamic and varied nature of the textile fabrication trade, suitable for young people who are creative and enjoy hands-on work. It covers the diverse applications of the trade, such as shading sails, awnings, industrial canopies, and marine terminals, and emphasizes the creative freedom and design aspects involved. The speaker highlights a skill shortage in the industry and the potential for young people to contribute significantly. They also mention the lack of awareness among young people about the industry's existence and the opportunities it offers, including the possibility of Australian-made products. The paragraph concludes with the potential career paths for apprentices, including management roles and becoming a shareholder or director.

05:02

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This paragraph appears to be a placeholder or an incomplete section of the script, as it contains no content other than the tag <paragraph2>. There is no information provided to create a title or summary for this section.

Keywords

💡Trade

Trade refers to a craft or profession that involves manual labor or practical skills. In the context of the video, it highlights the various aspects of textile fabrication, emphasizing the hands-on nature of the work and the creative freedom it allows. The script mentions that the trade is not just about operating machinery but also involves design and problem-solving.

💡Textile Fabrication

Textile Fabrication is the process of creating textile products, which can include sails, awnings, industrial canopies, and other custom-made items. The video emphasizes the diversity of applications within this field, showcasing how it extends beyond traditional sewing to include design and technical skills.

💡Apprentice

An apprentice is a person who is learning a trade from experienced practitioners. The video script describes the pathways for an apprentice in the textile trade, including the potential for career advancement and the lack of need for prior experience, highlighting the opportunities for growth and learning within the industry.

💡Skill Shortage

Skill Shortage refers to a gap between the available workforce and the demand for skilled labor in a particular industry. The video discusses the current skill shortage in the textile fabrication market, indicating a need for more young people to enter the trade to fill these gaps.

💡Custom Design

Custom Design involves creating unique products tailored to specific customer requirements. The script illustrates the importance of custom design in the textile trade, where no two projects are the same, and the satisfaction derived from seeing a personal design come to life.

💡Production Management

Production Management is the overseeing of the manufacturing process, ensuring that products are made efficiently and to a high standard. The video mentions career progression opportunities within the trade, such as moving into production management roles, indicating a path for professional development.

💡General Management

General Management involves overseeing the overall operations of a business, including strategic planning and decision-making. The script suggests that after qualifying in the trade, individuals may progress to general management positions, including becoming shareholders or directors.

💡On-the-Job Training

On-the-Job Training is a form of vocational training where employees learn and improve their skills while working. The video emphasizes that the textile trade offers on-the-job training alongside formal qualifications, providing a practical approach to learning.

💡Carpentry

Carpentry is a trade involving woodworking skills to construct items ranging from furniture to buildings. The script includes a personal anecdote about leaving the textile trade to pursue carpentry, highlighting the interconnectedness of different trades and the individual's journey within the skilled labor sector.

💡Mentorship

Mentorship is a relationship in which a more experienced or knowledgeable individual guides a less experienced one. The video script describes a mentor-mentee dynamic where the business partner encourages the narrator to formalize their training and advance within the company.

💡Financial Independence

Financial Independence refers to having enough wealth to live without having to work actively for basic necessities. The script shares a personal account of how the textile trade has provided financial independence and positively changed the individual's life.

Highlights

Exciting trade for young people with varied scope of work including shade sails, awnings, and industrial canopies.

Involves hands-on machinery work, design, and computer-aided output.

Custom design work allows for creativity and seeing ideas come to life.

Skill shortage in the textile fabricator market with employers seeking new talent.

Young people often unaware of the industry, assuming everything is imported.

Opportunities for apprentices to advance to production management and directorship.

No prior experience needed; on-the-job training and formal qualifications available.

Tight-knit industry with a culture that keeps people connected and inspired.

Personal story of starting in a general role and advancing through apprenticeship.

Mentorship and career progression within the company leading to partnership.

Suitable for young, creative, and hands-on individuals interested in building and problem-solving.

Apprentices gain exposure to various areas including sewing, plotting, and welding.

Industry described as captivating and mentally stimulating to prevent boredom.

Financial independence and personal growth as a result of working in the industry.

Initial skepticism transformed into a rewarding career in textiles.

The industry offers unexpected opportunities and a chance to make a significant impact.

Transcripts

[Music]

this is a exciting trade for young

person because it's not just about

sitting behind a sewing machine or

cutting fabric all day the scope of work

is so varied whether we shade sails

awnings

or into industrial canopies for four

drives and off-road caravans and camper

trailers into boats and marine terminal

you've got in Factory hands-on machinery

work of a design computer design and

output to challenging and rewarding

train it's so custom there so no one's

telling you what to build you're you're

thinking of it you're designing it it's

your brainchild to see that come to life

from a pile of fabric on the floor that

you might not see go up three weeks and

then go out think this process all

working and it it goes up well it's

almost like the surprises in the on

Christmas Day at the present pops out of

the box you don't know it is until you

hang it up standing back and seeing the

end product it was incredible

our customer base are what's called

textile fabricators and we have a skill

shortage we have gaps everywhere in the

market at the moment and we have

employers looking for people who are

keenly involved with fabrication of

textile products we do have an aging

population too mainly because we lack

awareness young people don't often know

we even exist our industry so assume

everything's imported whereas a lot is

made still here in Australia and we'd

love to see young people come into the

trade

[Music]

the pathways for an apprentice once

they've qualified for their for their

trade there's there's any number of pars

they can take but within the own the own

company the employer can offer

production management up to general

management even becoming a shareholder

and director of the business that we see

that is quite common pathway people

coming into our textile trade do not

need any prior experience

there's on-the-job training as well as

formal qualifications available through

tables we really see people leave the

trade and it's the culture that keeps

people connected and inspired and it's a

very tight-knit industry

[Music]

I started doing a job driving the truck

slipping the floor just the general hand

and about that six or so months in my

current business partner Greg he he said

well what are we doing with yourself

where you going

why don't we make this official and do

some proper training so sign up and did

the apprenticeship learnt the trade get

involved in all the different products

and aspects of the of the trade really

enjoyed it

did that for about five years and

niggling in the back of my mind said I I

really wanted to be a carpenter so I

left this place did did that got my

trade working for myself and came back

to give this business a hand Greg again

tapped me on the shoulder said but what

are you doing

would you like to come back and run with

production for me that went on for ten

years as a production manager trained

trained trainees apprentices did some

big site work won a few Awards had some

fun in process three years ago we joined

up and become a partner in the business

and ya know general manager and looking

forward to continuing the next chapter

[Music]

top person that are this trade would

suit perfectly the young person that's

always hands busy if their creative mind

and go to work I think they'll fit in

well I want to build that go-kart there

in the wet work room

the woodwork there there on a sewing

machine and already they just want to

build and do things with those hands and

use the mind to to solve those problems

and are already already coming up with

the next greatest seem to build as an

apprentice I go around from the

different areas so eventually I'm going

to move forward to the sewing I hope

it's a plotter I hope with the welding I

would say to people looking into this

industry it's definitely captivating

industry I find it's very mentally

stimulating so you never get bored The

Strokes giving me a lot of financial

independence and it's changed my you for

the better it's really made it coming in

these doors like I sat down and asked

for a job to free my weekends up it was

literally just a job it was just the job

never thought that I'd be behind a

sewing machine or working with textiles

not not for not for a minute now I mean

I couldn't say any different

you