Aotearoa New Zealand’s fashion and textiles sector has taken a significant step forward with the development of a new Level 3 Industrial Sewing qualification and 12 associated sewing skill standards.

Developed in collaboration with industry leaders, this initiative is designed to fill a longstanding training gap and provide formal recognition for a largely overlooked group of workers—many of them women—whose skills have gone uncredentialed for decades.

The new qualification was created with extensive input from the Advanced Textiles, Furniture, and Apparel sectors, including strong engagement from Mindful Fashion and employers such as Kovacs Furniture and training provider MAST Academy. This collaborative approach ensures that the skills taught are relevant across a wide range of industries—from fashion and upholstery to shade sails, car interiors and theatre costume design.

“This qualification doesn’t just teach sewing—it stitches together opportunity, recognition, and a renewed future for New Zealand’s textile and apparel sectors,” Mindful Fashion Chief Executive Jacinta FitzGerald said.

Aotearoa New Zealand’s clothing and textile industry has a significant technical skills shortage, so the development of this qualification is timely and much needed. “It will provide a pathway into this skilled role for our predominantly female workforce and support their career advancement”, Jacinta added.

“While the techniques used across industries may vary slightly, the fundamental sewing skills, such as seam construction and machine operation, are consistent and transferable”, Hanga-Aro-Rau Qualification System Lead Marion Littin explains.

“This is a piece of work I’m incredibly proud of,” she said, adding that the new qualification and skills standards are also great way to support women in industry. “Hidden female workshops, marae kapahaka, costume makers in theatre, people in furniture upholstery, making shade sails and tents, they all have workplace learning, so we knew if we made this work across apparel, Industrial Textile Fabrication and furniture, we could interest providers in a new stream of learners and open everything right up,” Marion concludes.

Previously, training opportunities jumped from school-level or informal learning directly to Level 4 or 5 qualifications offered at Polytechnics, with no entry-level, work-based option. That left a major gap for learners and employers alike. The new Level 3 qualification bridges that divide, offering a 55-credit certificate that can be completed in less than a semester, often while learners are already working. The model supports practical, on-the-job training and builds confidence through applied learning.

For the fashion industry, this development couldn’t come at a better time. With growing demand for ethical, sustainable, and locally produced clothing, brands are increasingly looking to build capability onshore rather than outsource overseas. Mindful Fashion and others have identified a huge untapped workforce—especially women doing basic industrial sewing like uniform production—who will now have the opportunity to formalise their skills and advance their careers.

“We’re excited to have a qualification at this level developed by industry for industry that gives employers the opportunity to provide on the job training. Many New Zealanders are recognising the benefits of buying from local brands, and the quality and service that comes with that. The clothing and textile industry is going through a transformation to a more circular and sustainable model, so the ability to manufacture, repair and remanufacture quality products locally is becoming increasingly important,” Jacinta concluded.

The qualification and skill standards are now on the NZQA framework, ready for providers to develop courses in this exciting arena. Those involved in the development are urging providers to get on board with this qualification so that we can build the skilled workforce we need for the future.