From field to fabric to fashion, local producers and manufacturers are a crucial part of the Australian economy, especially in this time of significant post-pandemic transformation.
To support the creation of future workforce initiatives it is essential that the current skills and workforce challenges and opportunities of the industry are understood. It is also important that the national training package, specifying the knowledge and skills required to perform effectively in the workplace, meets industry skills needs.
Skills Insight Jobs and Skills Council, in collaboration with ForestWorks, are currently consulting with textiles, clothing and footwear organisations to understand their workforce challenges and skills requirements. Skills Insight provides powerful insights on Australia’s skills system to benefit industry and support the skills ecosystem's responsiveness to current and emerging workforce challenges and opportunities.
The Jobs and Skills Council want to provide industry stakeholders with an informed voice as they listen to all sectors of industry – big and small.
On-site consultation meetings with industry owners and operators have been taking place across the country and an industry survey is being conducted to gather real-world insights. Manufacturers, business owners and operators are encouraged to participate in the survey to help gain a full picture of the workforce challenges and opportunities in the textiles, clothing and footwear industry.
“The research methodology we use will help us deeply understand the industry’s priorities and determine how organisations currently address their biggest challenges, opportunities and training barriers,” says Andrew Cameron, Executive Officer Industry Stewardship and Insights at Skills Insight.
As an essential part of Australia’s ecosystem, the textiles, clothing and footwear industry works to cloth us and enrich our lives – which is why current research is focussed on uncovering its underpinnings and key drivers for success.
Your participation in the survey will help:
- identify urgent or priority workforce shortages, challenges and opportunities
- paint a clearer picture of the industry’s activities, structure, size, sub sectors, employer types and locations
- determine future skills priorities by understanding trends in the workplace and job needs
- inform recommendations that will be presented to the Australian Government, helping to prioritise potential projects that will benefit your sector.
Organisations participating in the research survey are being asked to share their own insights and answer questions about the industry, its challenges and opportunities, including:
- circular economy, recycling and sustainability
- dry cleaning, laundry and alterations
- fashion design for production
- how rising interest in ethical products may lead to increased opportunity for quality craftsmanship
- industry activities, structure, size, employer types, locations
- international competition
- manufacturing, materials, advanced technologies
- workforce labour shortages, trends, technical upskilling.
“Stakeholder consultations are quickly uncovering important insights over a broad industry cross-section, such as the high cost of operating in Australia compared to overseas and the focus of training packages on sewing and machinist skills,” says Andrew.
“We’re also learning about how growing consumer demand for locally made, ethical products keeps jobs in Australia and shifts focus to quality craftsmanship. The growth in textile repair, reuse and recycling is also predicted to have a significant industry impact, including the development of new skills in eco-friendly production and design.”
Visit the project webpage
Complete the survey
We'd appreciate your participation in the survey before 31 December 2024.
Skills Insight is one of ten Jobs and Skills Councils (JSCs) that are a national network of industry-led organisations, designed to provide leadership in addressing national skills and training needs. They have been established to supply industry with a strong and strategic voice within the vocational education and training sector as part of broader government-led skills reform.
JSCs undertake projects to identify skills and workforce needs, map career pathways, support collaboration between industry and training providers, and act as a source of intelligence on issues affecting their industries.
Informed by industry networks, JSCs work towards improved outcomes for the VET sector, learners, and business, in turn building greater confidence in the system and better quality of life for the nation as a whole.
Skills Insight is a Jobs and Skills Council funded by the Australian Government Department of Employment and Workplace Relations.
This Jobs and Skills Council project is being managed with the support of ForestWorks as part of their collaborative partnership with Skills Insight. For more information visit skillsinsight.com.au