The company will launch a training school at its knitting plant in Levin next month, due to a chronic shortage of local qualified knitters and knitting mechanics.
Launched in conjunction with the Horowhenua Learning Centre, the school will be the first of its kind for the region in some time.
Levana Chief executive Andy Wynne said New Zealand's textile industry had been decimated in recent years, with the school aiming to provide unemployed workers with opportunities not only at Levana but other companies too.
"We have already had customers expressing interest and offering support to take on students once they've graduated. It's good news for the industry and will provide a great injection of new technicians in our knitting department."
Wynne said since its acquisition by The Merino Company in October 2007, Levana had seen a "huge" increase in international enquiries.
"I don't see this trend dispersing and with the lack of trained knitting technicians in the industry, we need to be proactive and train our own to keep up with demand."