Sewing Machinist Apprentice
FORTIS CLOTHING LTD
AXMINSTER (EX13 8TB)
Closes in 13 days (Thursday 30 April 2026 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 16 April 2026
Contents
Summary
This is an exciting opportunity for someone who would like to gain sewing skills as a Sewing Machinist Apprentice. You will be working in a small team to create outdoor country clothing to a high standard. This will include stock control and communication between cutting and management.
- Wage
-
£16,640 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age
National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices
- Training course
- Sewing machinist (level 2)
- Hours
-
Monday - Friday, between 9.00am - 5.00pm.
40 hours a week
- Start date
-
Monday 20 July 2026
- Duration
-
1 year 6 months
- Positions available
-
1
Work
Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
What you'll do at work
- Working within the sewing department
- Using Industrial sewing machines
- Sewing garments
- Quality control
- Cleaning after finishing
- Adhering to health and safety requirements
Where you'll work
HARTGROVE HILL FARM
TRINITY HILL ROAD
MUSBURY
AXMINSTER
EX13 8TB
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
BRIDGWATER AND TAUNTON COLLEGE
Training course
Sewing machinist (level 2)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Follow work instructions for example, specifications, standard operating procedures, and specific instructions.
- Organise resources for example, equipment, components, and tools.
- Check working environment for hazards.
- Apply safe working practices including guards, seat positioning, safety clothing, and manual handling.
- Apply sustainability principles for example, minimise energy usage and waste.
- Identify and segregate resources for reuse, recycling, and disposal.
- Lay out equipment, components, and resources.
- Inspect cut or pre-sewn components before sewing; identify and resolve issues.
- Select and insert needles.
- Select thread.
- Fill and insert spool and thread a sewing machine.
- Select the sewing machine settings.
- Conduct sewing machine test run for example, pre-production, following threading up, adjustments, or maintenance.
- Make sewing machine adjustments for example, stitch tension.
- Operate, monitor, and control a sewing machine for example, lockstitch, linker, blind hemmer, overlocker, cup seam, and coverstitch machine.
- Control material feed.
- Conduct quality checks.
- Identify needle damage.
- Identify and resolve sewing issues for example, skip stitch, lose stitch, or pucker stitch.
- Follow post-production procedure for example, re-bundle, bag up, and attach work ticket.
- Enter information to track work process for example, work dockets, documentation, or electronic tracking system.
- Select maintenance tools.
- Remove and replace sewing machine parts for example, the presser foot, throat plate, spool, and spool case.
- Clean sewing machine and machine parts.
- Check oil.
- Use information technology and digital systems for example, real time system or computerised sewing machine settings.
- Communicate with others for example, other machinists, senior machinists, production staff, supervisors, and team leaders.
- Report issues for example, product quality and machine faults.
- Apply team working principles.
- Identify opportunities for continuous improvement.
- Monitor own performance.
- Complete and record learning and development activities.
- Follow work instructions for example, specifications, standard operating procedures, and specific instructions.
- Organise resources for example, equipment, components, and tools.
- Check working environment for hazards.
- Apply safe working practices including guards, seat positioning, safety clothing, and manual handling.
- Apply sustainability principles for example, minimise energy usage and waste.
- Identify and segregate resources for reuse, recycling, and disposal.
- Lay out equipment, components, and resources.
- Inspect cut or pre-sewn components before sewing; identify and resolve issues.
- Select and insert needles.
- Select thread.
- Fill and insert spool and thread a sewing machine.
- Select the sewing machine settings.
- Conduct sewing machine test run for example, pre-production, following threading up, adjustments, or maintenance.
- Make sewing machine adjustments for example, stitch tension.
- Operate, monitor, and control a sewing machine for example, lockstitch, linker, blind hemmer, overlocker, cup seam, and coverstitch machine.
- Control material feed.
- Conduct quality checks.
- Identify needle damage.
- Identify and resolve sewing issues for example, skip stitch, lose stitch, or pucker stitch.
- Follow post-production procedure for example, re-bundle, bag up, and attach work ticket.
- Enter information to track work process for example, work dockets, documentation, or electronic tracking system.
- Select maintenance tools.
- Remove and replace sewing machine parts for example, the presser foot, throat plate, spool, and spool case.
- Clean sewing machine and machine parts.
- Check oil.
- Use information technology and digital systems for example, real time system or computerised sewing machine settings.
- Communicate with others for example, other machinists, senior machinists, production staff, supervisors, and team leaders.
- Report issues for example, product quality and machine faults.
- Apply team working principles.
- Identify opportunities for continuous improvement.
- Monitor own performance.
- Complete and record learning and development activities.
Training schedule
- You will be working towards the Level 2 Sewing Machinist Standard Apprenticeship
- Undertake Functional Skills in maths and English (unless exemptions apply)
- Have the support and guidance from a Training Assessor
- Complete course work using an e-portfolio
- All training/college work carried out within the workplace
Requirements
Desirable qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade (Grade A-C or 4-9))
- Maths (grade (Grade A-C or 4-9))
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Problem solving skills
- Presentation skills
- Number skills
- Analytical skills
- Logical
- Team working
- Initiative
- Patience
- Pride in your work
- Punctual
- Willing to learn
- Reliable
- Able to work under pressure
Other requirements
Due to the location of the company, you will need to have the means to get to and from work. A driving licence would be ideal.
About this employer
Fortis Clothing is a proud British Manufacturer of endurance clothing for the UK Police & Military Services along with Outdoor Apparel for the general. Everything is made in Devon by a small team of skills craftspeople. They are looking for a hard working person that is willing to learn and get stuck in. They would like you to have some experience but most of all, we want you to be interested in fashion and the textile industry.
After this apprenticeship
- Full-time employment within the company
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
BRIDGWATER AND TAUNTON COLLEGE
info@fortisclothing.co.uk
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000025306.
Apply now
Closes in 13 days (Thursday 30 April 2026 at 11:59pm)