Addressing Skills Gaps in the European Textile, Clothing, Leather and Footwear Industries, emphasizing Equality, Innovation, and Resilience (AEQUALIS4TCLF)

Specific Objectives of AEQUALIS4TCLF:

• Partnership and Stakeholder Engagement: The objective aims to strengthen existing
partnerships and establish new ones to ensure effective collaboration among relevant stakeholders
to address the skills gap in the industry and promote regional and national TCLF Skills Partnerships.

• Skills Needs Assessment and Gap Analysis: The objective of conducting comprehensive
skills needs assessment and gap analysis is crucial for identifying the specific skills required by the
TCLF industry.

• Curriculum Development: The objective of developing new curricula for upper and post-
secondary VET levels and tertiary levels that address the green and digital skills needed to support
the industry's transition to a more sustainable and circular economy.

• Development of Learning Materials and Programs: The objective of developing new
learning materials and programs that align with the new curricula, ensuring that the education and
training programs offered to the industry's workforce are engaging and practical.

• Pilot the Training Programs: The objective of piloting the new training programs in selected
European countries is essential for ensuring that the new programs are practical and relevant.

• Promoting Diversity, Innovation, and Well-being in the TCLF Industry: The objective of
providing integrated workshops and guidelines that promotes social inclusion, including for migrants
and people with disabilities, the safety of workers in their workplace against discrimination and
violence as well as gender balance is to attract and retain talent, improve productivity and
competitiveness, and ensure compliance with legal and ethical standards.

The AEQUALIS4TCLF Blueprint project aims to address the skills gap in the Textile, Clothing, Leather, and Footwear (TCLF) sector in the European Union. The project involves relevant stakeholders such as industry representatives, chambers of commerce, employers’ associations, Higher Education (HE) and Vocational Education and Training (VET) providers from seven European countries: Czechia, Croatia, Lithuania, Finland, Netherlands, Slovenia, and Serbia.

The project has two main objectives. The first objective is to expand the reach of the METASKILLS4TCLF and S4STCLF Blueprint projects from 11 countries to 18 through the AEQUALIS4TCLF project, unifying Europe in skilling and reskilling the TCLF workforce. This will enable the TCLF industry to better prepare for the future and achieve a sustainable and circular economy.

The second objective is to address the skills gap in the TCLF industry by promoting partnerships, identifying specific skills needed, and developing new curricula for a more sustainable and digital industry. It also supports social inclusion, safety, and compliance through integrated workshops and guidelines. By working together towards these objectives, the project will position these countries as leaders in sustainable and innovative production models, contributing significantly to the TCLF sector in the EU.