Skill shortage is the biggest challenge for the EU textile and apparel industry

According to a spokesperson at the annual conference of the European Textile and Apparel Industry Association (Euratex), recruiting and retaining labor talents with professional skills is the biggest challenge facing the European textile and apparel industry.

Alberto Paccanelli, the new president of Euratex this time, said: As the industry is experiencing an opportunity for upward development, in a sense, this is a positive issue. Since 2012, the industry’s turnover within the European Union (EU) has increased by 10% to 178 billion euros (equivalent to 20.1 billion U.S. dollars), exports outside the EU have increased by 23%, reaching 50 billion euros for the first time, and labor productivity has increased by 22% .

This means that not only has the industry not suffered a “relentless recession” in decades, but when the industry’s 1.7 million workers include 36% of the age group over 50 years old, workers, this is an important replacement demand for the retired workforce. He predicted: In other words, many businesses will hang a big sign on their door.

Paccanelli added: The industry will have to employ more than 600,000 people between now and 2030 to meet replacement demand in the sector and address new skills shortages problems, and more may be needed in the future.

But young people, affected by the massive closure of the industry starting in 1970, did not find textiles exciting. Emma Giner said at the meeting: How do we make this industry attractive again? . As global HR director for a Madrid-based company, she advocates the use of storytelling to build brands, new business models, reverse mentoring programs (teenagers helping older people), less academic approaches and the use of “authentic narratives” to enhance brand image.

Paccanelli said: Companies that are recruiting today are not only looking for young people with the same skills as the retired workforce, but also creative, high-tech and digital talents. Skilled new talent for high value-added jobs in design, product development, technical textile production, digitalization, sustainability and circular economy.

Digital skills are also key, Paccanelli added, and digital skills are also crucial in high value-added jobs. Companies recruiting today are not only looking for young people with the same skills as the retired workforce, but also new talents with creative, high-tech and digital skills to work in design, product development, technical textile production, digitalization, permanent work to achieve high added value in terms of sustainable development and circular economy”.

Industry-specific solutions

In 2018 Euratex established a skills Working group, and launched the “European Textile, Clothing, Leather and Footwear Industry 2030 “Smart Skills” Blueprint Plan”, aiming to provide “industry-specific skills solutions”.

Manuela Geleng, skills director of the European Commission (European Commission) as director of the Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Social Integration, believes that focusing on skills is the key to attracting the younger generation to join the industry . Emphasizing the need to keep pace with technology, he predicted that “85% of jobs will still be untapped in 2030.” She said that by 2022, 54% of the existing workforce in all industries, including textiles, will need further education and retraining.

To help, the EU’s multi-annual framework budget for the next seven years will focus on skills development. Geleng said: Funding for the Blueprint program will continue, but we need to think more about how to convert the funding from the initial stage to sustainability because there is no balance.

She said: On average, basic education expenditures in EU countries account for 4.6% of gross domestic product (GDP), but only 0.1% is spent on continuous lifelong learning. %, does not respond to today’s changing work environment and skills needs.

Lutz Walter, director of innovation and skills at Euratex, said that the European textile industry must cater to the next generation to achieve the development of successful enterprises.

For Walter, the best way to attract young and fresh talent into the industry is to provide new teaching methods that are attractive, modern and industry-oriented. vocational schools and programmes, and tools; implementation of modern recruitment programs and career development practices including apprenticeships within companies; and industry associations and community groups supported by public programs and schools, led at local and regional levels Information and promotional activities.

Positive developments

The session highlighted many positive examples. Modatex in Portugal is a professional training center specializing in the textile, clothing and wool industries. Sílvia Silveira, who is responsible for planning, evaluation and verification business coordination, said that about 67% of trainees have completed qualification training in textiles and clothing and entered the labor market directly.

BonneterieChanteclair, a sweater manufacturer headquartered in Troyes, France, has reformed its operations to become a more attractive employer. CEO Thomas Delise explained that the company is abandoning “command and control system management” and the new recruitment/talent selection process uses communication on social media.�Message. The company also offers customized training courses, including reverse mentoring.

Paolo Bastianello, chairman of the Education Committee of Sistema Moda Italia, said that the communication plan is crucial to improving the image of the industry. The committee, which represents Italy’s main production areas and aims to train and educate young people in all fashion professional fields, was assisted by a “Memorandum of Understanding on Preparing for Jobs” and a training needs survey.

Lutz Walter, Director of Innovation and Skills at Euratex, said: Due to the abundant number of graduates from design courses, it is not difficult for fashion (design) jobs to fill their needs, but such things as materials and patterns Links to design-related aspects of more technical aspects such as fabrication and production knowledge are crucial.

Textile+mode, the German Textile and Fashion Industry Alliance, Ralph Kamphäner, head of the Brussels office and foreign trade department, explained that the association conducted a “GoTextile! ” program aims to lead young people into the corporate world by confirming without a second thought that their careers may be in clothing.

This international event involving more than 150 companies and training centers features virtual and offline events such as trade shows and presentations to school and university graduates Corporate recruitment and university courses.

Marco Taiana, marketing manager of Tessitura Taiana Virgilio SpA, a high-quality fabric merchant, said: The “ProjectcomON” plan based in Como City, Italy, focuses on sharing and cultivating new designs globally. model”. (Note: The “ProjectcomON” plan was born in 2008. It originated from a group of entrepreneurs in Como City, Italy. With the support of Unindustria Como, they created an “European Creative Center (ahub of European creativity)” from the most prestigious design school. Recruit the best talents, and inspire and integrate the creative ideas of local young students.

With the support of local textile factories, universities and fashion design schools, Every year, 20 talented designers from all over Europe come to Como for internships in local companies to promote communication and dialogue between designers and the industry.

2018 61,000 people participated in the comprehensive large-scale event, which included talks, conferences, exhibitions and “Creativity Week” design events. According to Taiana, these initiatives involved schools, universities, designers, young artists and even Giorgio Armani, the celebrity Vice President of the UnindustriaComo textile industry group.

Walter from Euratex told the attendees: According to the ProjectcomON plan, we have certain competitiveness in the European Region, and we can also Develop them in another region.

Technical Crossroads

Talking about How innovation can help clothing brands obtain the design energy they need, Walter said at the event: Due to the abundant number of design course graduates, fashion (design) jobs are not difficult to fill their needs, but such things as materials, pattern making and production knowledge, etc. More technical connections to design are crucial.

He made it clear: There is a serious shortage of graduates from these technical schools, which hinders the competitiveness of the industry.

In fact, Walter Erasmy, general manager of the Northwest Germany Textile and Clothing Association (Northwest Germany Textile and Clothing Association), said: There is almost no specific industry to promote training and organize existing work to solve practical problems. Digital teaching is key to the success of student training and teaching methods in the region’s new vocational training schools. He said: We don’t have any books here.

Walter also said that using digital Technology and virtual collaboration are a great way to link design and material experts in Europe/around the world with the design and product development processes of the European textile and fashion supply chain. Unfortunately, European businesses remain under-utilized because they lack digital skills and collaborative use of web-based IT tools.

While he urged delegates: We have great stories, don’t be afraid to tell them in a modern and engaging tone. Some companies don’t even need to advertise and have people lining up outside their doors waiting to work for them.

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