BFA NEWS
BFA launches new brand development initiative
Young managers ‘graduate’ in BFA technical management programme
BF A-Graduates
Richard Kottler CEO BF
A At a special ceremony held at the offices of the British Footwear The British Footwear Association (BFA) has launched the Accelerated
Development Programme (ADP). The ADP is a targeted extension of the popular Mentoring Programme and has been designed to assist in raising the level of success for a small group of up-and-coming footwear brands.
After a rigorous assessment procedure the companies identified to be the first participants in this innovative scheme are:
• Beyond Skin • Joanne Stoker • Laidback London • Northern Cobbler • Zoe Lee
The BFA will provide each company with its full range of support services
but, in addition, will match each company with an experienced, trained mentor drawn from a pool of senior and respected executives from the industry.
The mentors will work with participating companies for a year. The main
aim is to assist in raising the level of profitable growth for the business while laying the foundation for a successful and sustainable future.
Richard Kottler, Chief Executive of the BFA commented “This
breakthrough programme consolidates and extends the BFA’s commitment to helping companies in their early stages of development, and to assist them in establishing themselves as well known international brands. We have been fortunate in being able to call on the experience and time of a number of highly respected industry figures, all of whom agreed to go through a specially designed training course on mentoring techniquesand skills, specific to the industry.
Everyone involved is really looking forward to making this first edition of the programme a successful and powerful one.”
Association (BFA) last week, six young managers from the footwear industry received their Certificates for completing the BFA Foundation Course in Footwear Technology. Richard Kottler, Chief Executive of the BFA, presented the Certificates. This followed a similar event at Clarks head office. The 8 graduates were
the first Clarks employees to start the course and over a two year period attended 45 hours’ worth of lectures internally, alongside two external courses – a 5 day shoemaking course and 2 day leather course. Melissa Potter and Richard Kottler met with the group following the
completion of the course, to understand what the group had learnt throughout the training and how this had improved their understanding of the business. Melissa presented each person with a custom designed trophy that had been 3D printed in-house to mark the occasion and Richard presented the final BFA Certificate. Kottler commented “in all, a total of 28 trainees from ten companies
took part in some or all of the programme, which has rapidly established itself as a respected industry standard and which is going a long way to correcting the biggest skills shortage in the industry – that of qualified technical managers. “We are looking forward to launching the 2013 programme early next
year, and are confident that we continue to have the enthusiastic support of the industry for this important contribution to adding skills and expertise to future managers in it.
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British Footwear Association Ltd Tel: +44 (0) 1933 229005 Web:
www.britishfootwearassociation.co.uk
10 • FOOTWEAR TODAY • JANUARY 2013
Clarks-Graduates
www.footweartoday.co.uk
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