Skills to Thrive : Tailoring

ABSTRACT

The apparel industry is the same as the fashion, garment, or clothing industry. These are variable names for the same industry. If we want to summarize, we can say that the industry covers the design, manufacturing, wholesaling, and retailing of clothes, footwear, and fashion accessories.

 "what is the fashion industry?"  Clearly it is more than simply putting clothes in a boutique and selling them to consumers. 

India is amongst the top 5 global markets for Tailoring. The Indian Tailoring and personal care industry is estimated to be worth US $28.9 billion as of 2021. The Tailoring industry in India is growing at a CAGR of 18.6 %

The future of fashion will focus on customers and providing an innovative experience. The fashion industry is constantly evolving, as changes in the future will create a more sustainable, customer-centric and efficient industry

There is an Increasing level of personal spending on Fashion products.

The social stigma and low dignity associated with providing Tailoring services is fast vanishing. Also, women have high entrepreneurial aspirations, they are increasingly having the authority to make investment-related decisions and hence are more and more open to pursuing careers in Tailoring and Wellness.

Spending on Fashion is no longer considered a luxury. Rising income and low rentals in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities is driving the expansion of Tailoring services. Tier 2, 3 Towns and Villages in our Country are very aspirational and interested in Grooming and Tailoring Services. They are rapidly getting introduced to Tailoring and Fashion Designing Services.

Based on the above, it is clear that there is a huge demand for skilled, trained and certified professionals to grow the Tailoring Industry. The Industry needs to hire skilled professionals to sustain the growth of this Industry.

Tailoring capability building is the need of the hour. This industry employs many professionals from the economically weaker sections of the society and hence there is a huge opportunity to provide employable skills to this weak section of the society.

CURRENT CHALLENGES TO FULFIL THE DEMAND OF SKILLED PROFESSIONALS

A Tailoring expert needs to have a passion for making people beautiful. Skills required include how to use Tailoring products, quick learning, interpersonal skills, client management and proactiveness.

Challenges faced :

• Most of the training courses offered by unorganized small time players are not recognized by the industry and the candidates do not receive a premium for completion of these courses.
• Training offered by unorganized players who are not from the industry, lack practical exposure
• Few organized training organisations are accredited by leading bodies, while most others do not even have a standardized curriculum or quality trainers.

Sustaining the demand for skilled manpower is a challenge as attrition is high. Lack of social security benefits, such as job security, continuity of job, paid leave, medical leave, insurance and benefits, coupled with long working hours and lack of additional benefits, lead to high attrition rate among Tailoring professionals as they switch jobs for minimal salary increments. 

VATSALYA TRUST, MUMBAI’s Present Tailoring Programs

Vatsalya Trust, Mumbai is registered as a Public Charitable Trust on 08.02.1983 under Bombay Public Trust Act 1950. The main objective of the Trust is to 'care, protect and empower destitute and deprived members of the society with special emphasis on orphan/ destitute children and marginalized unskilled youth'.

While preparing unskilled youth for employment it was realised that candidates esp. women from economically deprived backgrounds are interested in becoming Tailoring professionals. Vatsalya Trust Mumbai set up Training centres at Kurla, Ulhasnagar, Hasegaon-Latur, Jalna, Aurangabad and Rajapur-Ratnagiri in Maharashtra in 2022.

Salient features of Vatsalya’s Tailoring programmes for underpriviledged

• In Vatsalya Trust Mumbai around 156 Students are currently under training in batches and 31 students have completed the training.
• Basic Tailoring course, Advance Tailoring Course are taught at our Centers. Syllabus covers topics prescribed for “Basic Tailoring” and “Advanced Tailoring” Qualification Pack
• Satellite centres were created at Melghat-Amravati,Rajapur, Latur, Aurangabad and Jalna.
• Campaigns are made to reach out special groups such as women from the deprived background.
• Train the Trainers: Theory Class on understanding the “science” of Tailoring are being conducted for the Master Tailor Shivaji Appa Patil.
• All trainers and students of the Tailoring course are encouraged and advised to complete the Basic Computer Course covering MSOffice products and email. All trainees are provided Business Financials Overview. Training on Communication skills in English is also being proposed.

Few of the success stories of the Tailoring Program so far.

The Tailoring Course is newly started in Aug21, at Vatsalya Trust Mumbai. We are happy to state that @50% of our students managed to obtain self-employment assignments and hence have improved their financial position in the society.

Vatsalya Trust Mumbai has also got on board in advisory capacity the pa professional and accomplished Fashion Designer Bharati Kokane. Her guidance in mentoring students to become financially independent professionals is helping our students and encouraging them to take this up as a profession. 

Bharati Kokane Linkedin profile  

TAILORING INITIATIVE - PROJECT OBJECTIVES:

• To provide quality skill training to women from socio economically poor sections of society in Maharashtra for their better livelihood during FY23-24
• To achieve the placement and self-employment rate of 25% with an average income of a minimum of Rs. 2000 per month for the trained candidates of advanced courses
• To expose students to soft skills, digital literacy and financial knowledge to all the trainees
• To help in setting up self-entrepreneurships to the deserving trainees
• To partner with deserving NGOs across India who work in this area of empowering women and youth, to provide necessary skill training in local communities where they have local connects. This will enable Easy accessibility of Tailoring infrastructure to youth in Tier 2/3 towns and villages as well as higher employment opportunities for youth in these areas.

TAILORING INITIATIVE - PROJECT FEATURES:

• Vatsalya Trust has conceived a program to train students on basic and advanced Tailoring skills. This project will encourage the students to gain knowledge and acquire skills for a targeted job profile; self-employed tailor.
• The program targets 8th Std. pass/fail to Graduates and beyond from Arts, Commerce & Science disciplines across the State of Maharashtra.
• Affordable Tailoring Course for every one (Rs. 500 for Basic Tailoring and Rs. 1000/ for advanced Tailoring per student per course)
• Third party evaluation and certification by Indian Technical Educational Services (ITES)/NSDC or equivalent will ensure quality content and training.
• Beneficiaries per Centre: 80 women per center and @12 new batches
• NGO Outreach initiatives
• There are NGOs and Gram Panchayats willing to offer professional training to students and working class. They lack in Training Infrastructure, Expert Faculty, Professional courses. On the other hand, Vatsalya Trust Mumbai having all these, lack in Local connect and Place to start the Tailoring Courses.
• Limitations of one are strengths of the other. Hence, Vatsalya Trust Mumbai in collaboration with Local NGOs or Gram Panchayats can give lasting solution. An MOU of this effect would be signed by both binding them to deliver the best.

 PROJECT ACTIVITIES

• A) Proposed Courses for 2023-24:

Tailoring (Basic) and Tailoring (Advanced)

• B) Course curriculum:
• Specially designed course curriculum matching the current trends in skill education and needs of the trainees’ Hard copies available.

• Methodology

Vatsalya Trust envisaged SOCIAL IMPACT of the Project

Accessibility to Tailoring Training centres and infrastructure and training will help Tier II/III city youth esp. women to participate in mainstream job opportunities and/or be self employed.

• Smooth digital and financial inclusion of Tier II/III city youth esp. women
• Tailoring skilled women can encourage entrepreneurship and build youth capacities
• Social inclusion of Tier II/III city youth will boost their confidence

FUTURE PLANS AND WAY FORWARD for Vatsalya Trust Mumbai

• Vatsalya Trust Mumbai is working towards obtaining accreditation under NSDC Sector Skill Certification for
• Vatsalya Trust intends to introduce 3-6 more satellite centres/grow existing centers in FY23-24 to take the Tailoring programme to about 300 students.
• Marginalised youth and vulnerable sections of the society such as third gender, sex workers, war widows, Children Homes, migratory workers especially women etc will be provided introductory Tailoring education so as give them better working opportunities.
• With Involvement of Corporate/ Industry resources, efforts will be made to bridge the gap between skills required and skills imparted.
• Implementing Tailoring outreach programme through or by handholding local NGOs will ensure deeper reach of Tailoring Training and optimal utilization of resources.

APPENDIX