On the storied streets of London’s Savile Row, the rhythmic hum of sewing machines and the buzz of youthful energy are reshaping a centuries-old tradition. It’s not just the elite in bespoke suits making headlines this week: behind the scenes, a new generation of apprentices is breathing fresh life into the tailoring trade, even as similar stories of ambition, challenge, and change play out in workshops and classrooms far beyond Britain’s capital.
This week, as London Fashion Week draws to a close, Savile Row’s legendary tailors are celebrating their trainees in a showcase that highlights both the craft’s enduring appeal and its evolving face. According to AFP, the Savile Row Bespoke Association (SRBA) Apprenticeship Scheme, launched in 2007, has seen more than 100 graduates pass through its rigorous program. Apprentices spend between two and six years honing their skills—learning to cut, stitch, and shape garments under the watchful eyes of master tailors—before facing a final appraisal by a panel of experts.
Simon Cundey, managing director and owner of Henry Poole & Co, one of the Row’s oldest and most revered houses, has witnessed a remarkable shift. “In the last year and a half, we’ve seen a big surge... of people applying for apprenticeships,” Cundey told AFP. The change is tangible: where once the average age in the workshop hovered around 55, today the benches are populated by eager twenty-somethings, with women now matching men in numbers. “Things have changed a lot in a relatively short period of time,” veteran coatmaker Jinny Seals reflected.
This new wave is not confined to Savile Row. Across the UK and beyond, apprenticeships are enjoying a renaissance, driven by shifting attitudes toward work, a renewed appreciation for hands-on skills, and—perhaps most of all—the promise of a meaningful, stable career. Yet, as the BBC reports, the path to apprenticeship is far from straightforward for many would-be tradespeople.
In Northern Ireland, apprenticeship employment is more competitive than ever. Department for Economy (DfE) figures show a 40% rise in program starts over the past five years, with traditional apprenticeships growing from 5,811 learners in 2018/19 to 7,519 in 2023/24, and higher level apprenticeships more than doubling in the same period. Still, fewer than 10% of employers in the region currently hire apprentices, according to Workplus, an organization connecting job seekers with businesses.
For Helen Marks and her son Ryan Beggs, the journey has been fraught with obstacles. Ryan, enrolled in apprenticeship courses at Belfast Metropolitan College for two years, has struggled to find an employer willing to take him on. “The government should be helping employers, a lot of them are small or medium-sized businesses, they have overheads and insurance to pay for,” Marks told BBC News NI. Ryan’s frustration is palpable: “When I first started, my plan was to be done my apprenticeship this year, and I haven’t even started one yet. Once I start one, it’s going to be another two years.”
The reasons for this bottleneck are complex. Employers cite added costs and the length of training as deterrents. “The government need to have some sort of way of supporting employers, so that when an employer looks at an apprentice, they see a positive thing, not a negative thing, not something that's going to pull them back,” Marks added. The DfE acknowledges these challenges, emphasizing that apprenticeships are a "key part of the minister’s vision for the economy." The department funds training costs, offers incentive payments, and recently rolled out a three-year apprenticeship action plan aimed at creating more opportunities and addressing persistent barriers.
Nicole Cameron’s story echoes Ryan’s. After six years as an occupational therapist, she pivoted to a higher level apprenticeship in event management. But finding an employer proved tough. “I sort of did things the wrong way around, finding the course first then had to find an employer,” she explained to BBC News NI. With support from Belfast Met, Nicole eventually found work with FairyTales Wedding Specialists in Coleraine, whose owner praised her as a “real asset.” Yet, even her boss admitted that more support would be needed to take on additional apprentices in the future.
Despite these hurdles, the appetite for apprenticeships remains strong—and not just in tailoring or events. In New Zealand, Cody Harvey, a builder from Invercargill, recently took second place in the Canterbury and Southern regional Master Builders CARTERS Apprentice of the Year competition. Harvey, who has been with Cavalier Homes Southland for nearly four years and qualified as a builder in mid-2025, described the journey as both challenging and deeply satisfying. “I’d encourage anyone to get into it! It’s such a rewarding career, and it teaches you valuable skills you’ll carry throughout your working life,” Harvey said. The competition tested entrants on a detailed project overview, a practical building challenge, and interviews with a judging panel. For Harvey, the recognition was especially meaningful: “The award could have gone to anyone, so to walk away with 2nd place was incredible and meant a lot. I’m particularly grateful to my employer, Cavalier Homes, for their support along the way and I’m excited to see where my career will take me.”
Back in London, the mood is buoyant. In the Henry Poole workshop, hip-hop music mingles with the steady snip of scissors as trainees and mentors work shoulder to shoulder. Wendy Berberi, who joined Henry Poole at 16 during the pandemic and completed her apprenticeship this year, spoke to AFP about the value of learning by doing: “You’ve got to be right next to a person to learn it. I do feel like apprenticeships are starting to become the way forward in certain industries.” She relished the chance to master “old-school methods” and help keep tradition alive.
The drive for sustainability is also fueling interest in the trades. At Dege & Skinner, another Savile Row institution, managing director William Skinner noted that all five of the shop’s current apprentices are women—a record for the company. The London Academy of Bespoke (LAB) has launched a pre-apprenticeship course for aspiring tailors, with an emphasis on “slow fashion” and environmental responsibility. Seals, who has taught at LAB, observed, “It was interesting to see that people have actually looked at that (fast fashion) and thought, nah, I’d like to learn the old ways. It kind of makes you realize what we are... doing is never going to end.”
As the 50th anniversary of the Golden Shears Award—an event honoring tailoring students—unfolds during London Fashion Week, the message is clear: apprenticeships are not relics of the past but vital pathways to the future. They offer not only skills and stable employment, but also a sense of purpose, pride, and belonging. Whether threading a needle on Savile Row, laying bricks in Invercargill, or planning events in Belfast, today’s apprentices are proving that learning a craft—old or new—can still be a ticket to a rewarding and resilient career.
With growing demand, evolving industries, and a renewed emphasis on tradition and sustainability, the world of apprenticeships is being stitched together in new and exciting ways—one careful seam at a time.
