Belgium hosted Euratex on September 25. The event was an opportunity for insightful conversations on one of the pressing issues in the textile and clothing industry today: the lack of skilled workforce. Programs with focus on skills are among the European Commission’s priorities for upcoming years. Companies are investing in upscaling new and current employees, via training and apprenticeships, to face the shortage of qualified experts in the sector.

Industry testimonials from different companies across Europe illustrated first-hand, diversified view of the challenges being faced by the sector in the context of skills and qualifications: from specific regional difficulties (social, political, economic) affecting different countries to common struggles.

The event also included a spotlight on European skills policies and other EU funded projects on skills development in the textile, clothing, leather and footwear sectors. WT Johnson & Sons, a historic UK textile finishers company, has been implementing personnel training, apprenticeship programs, and flexibility for its retiring workforce to encourage exchange of knowledge between older and younger generations.

The textile and clothing sector welcomed the support of public institutions and called for collaboration between stakeholders to improve its image, develop concrete tools for training, and attract and retain the younger generation.