Technology Shortage Is The Biggest Challenge For EU Textile And Apparel Industry.

According to a spokesman for the annual conference of the European textile and Apparel Industry Association (Euratex), recruitment and retention of skilled labor personnel is the biggest challenge facing the European textile and apparel industry.

AlbertoPaccanelli, the new president of Euratex, said that as the industry is developing upward, in a sense, this is a positive problem. Since 2012, the turnover in the European Union (EU) has grown by 10% to 178 billion euros (20 billion 100 million US dollars), and the growth of exports in the EU has reached 23%, reaching 50 billion euros for the first time and 22% growth in labor productivity.

This means that the industry has not suffered from "relentless recession" for decades. When the 1 million 700 thousand workers in the industry, including 36% age groups over 50 years old, are an important substitute for the retired workforce. In other words, many companies hang large signboards on their doors.

Paccanelli added: from now until 2030, the industry will have to employ more than 600 thousand employees to meet the industry's alternative needs and solve the shortage of new skills, and may need more in the future.

But since 1970, young people have been affected by the large-scale closure of the industry, and they do not think that textiles will give them a very excited feeling. EmmaGiner said at the meeting: how do we make the industry attractive again? She serves as the global human resources director of a Madrid company. She advocates the use of storytelling to create brand, new business models, reverse education programs (young people help the elderly), less academic methods and the use of "real narrative" to enhance brand image.

Paccanelli said: today, the enterprises that need to be trained should not only look for young people with the same skills as retired labor force, but also look for new talents with creative, high technology and digital skills, so as to achieve high added value in design, product development, technical textile production, digitalization, sustainable development and recycling economy.

Digital skills are also critical, Paccanelli adds. Digital skills are also important in high value-added work. Today's enterprises not only have to find young people with the same skills as retired labor force, but also look for new talents with creative, high technology and digital skills to achieve high value-added work in design, product development, technology textile production, digitalization, sustainable development and recycling economy.

Specific industry solutions

In 2018, Euratex set up a technical working group and launched the 2030 blueprint for smart skills in the European textile, clothing, leather and footwear industry, aiming to provide "skills solutions for specific industries".

EuropeanCommission, director of ManuelaGeleng, director of employment, social affairs and social integration, believes that focusing on skills is the key to attracting younger generation into the industry. It emphasizes the need to advance with technology and predicts that 85% jobs remain to be developed in 2030. She said that by 2022, 54% of the existing labour force, including textiles, will need further education and retraining.

To help, the EU's multi year framework budget in the next 7 years will focus on skills development. Geleng said: the funding for the Blueprint plan will continue, but we need to think more about how to turn the funding from the initial stage to sustainability because there is no balance.

On average, the EU's basic education expenditure accounts for 4.6% of gross domestic product (GDP), but it only accounts for 0.1% of sustainable life long learning, which does not correspond to the changing working environment and skill needs of the European Union, she said.

Euratex innovation and skills director LutzWalter said that 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 talents into the industry is to offer professional schools and programmes that attract, modernize and use industry oriented new teaching methods and tools; implement the modern talent acquisition scheme and career development practices including apprenticeship within the company, and lead the information and promotion activities at the local and regional levels by industry associations and social groups supported by public programmes and schools.