Skillset to be the new representatives for UK laundry and dry-cleaning industry

It has been recently announced that the sector skills council for creative media industries, Skillset, is the next in line to represent the UK’s laundry and dry-cleaning industries. These industries, which include everything from the fashion and textile sector to industrial laundry operators and suppliers of commercial laundry equipment, are currently represented by Skillfast-UK, but the current contract is due to expire in March next year.

The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, Lord Mandelson, has made an official announcement that the Skillfast-UK contract will not be renewed, reportedly leaving employers in the fashion and textiles care industries backing a deal to join the similarly named company Skillset.

If this proposed deal goes ahead, it will mean that Skillset will be representing a number of industries that, when combined, annually contribute up to £45 billion to the UK economy.

A representative of the outgoing company, John Shonfeld, has summarised the needs of the textile care industry, explaining how the survival of the sector is dependent on a sector skills council who can put employers in control of qualifications and offer strategic assistance at the very highest level.

An official announcement about the potential deal is expected at the start of 2010.