Alignment strategies for the clothing industry in SA: Lessons learned

The clothing industry globally has undergone rapid change within the past few decades. The production of fashion has evolved into a multi faceted industry that is not only concerned with the manufacture of clothing but also the systems of production, distribution, diffusion, reception, adoption and consumption which drive the fashion industry. The South African Clothing and Textile Workers Union (Sactwu) estimates 13400 jobs were lost in the sector in the first 11 months of 2009. SACTWU researcher Etienne Vlok says that in the mid-2000s, the industry was losing about 20000 jobs a year, but in the past three years´ job losses has dropped to between 12000 to 14000 jobs a year. Changes in the global economy have enabled the requirement for flexibility, adaptability and innovation that have led to new education and training demands in order to remain competitive. The most significant demand is the proposed need for a highly skilled labour force that has the ability to employ new knowledge, technologies, business improvement methodologies and ultimately add value to existing goods and services. Essentially, these skills and capabilities are developed through a broad general higher education system. Based on research undertaken as part of doctoral studies at the University of Johannesburg, the paper highlights current experiences in the South African clothing industry and academia, and proposes the alignment of industry and academia in order to improve the skills of the workforce.