October, EURATEX

Europe’s textile, clothing, leather and footwear ecosystem is entering a decisive decade. Nearly 1.5 million peo-ple work across about 220,000 mostly small and medium-sized companies that power both creative industries and vital supply chains for automotive, health and construction. The EU TCLF Skills Strategy translates this scale and diversity into a clear plan to equip people and firms with the capabilities they need for competitiveness, sustainability and quality jobs.

What is changing, and why skills matter

Production is evolving fast as artificial intelligence, automation, three-dimensional design and data-driven value chains reshape how products are conceived and made. At the same time, circular economy models and new regulatory expectations, from eco-design to traceability and repair, demand environmental literacy alongside technical excellence. The strategy confirms that the most urgent gaps lie in digital transformation skills such as CAD, CAM, 3D modelling and data management, and in green competences such as life-cycle assessment, sus-tainable materials and circular business models.

This is not only about technology. Persistent barriers include an ageing workforce, uneven access to modern training in some regions, difficulty for SMEs to invest in upskilling on their own, and a sector image that does not always reflect current innovation and career prospects. The strategy addresses these structural issues head-on.

A framework that turns ambition into action

The strategy is built around three connected pillars that together create a practical route to results. First comes developing relevant skills through initial education and lifelong learning. Second is using skills effectively in workplaces so that talent is matched to jobs, progression is possible and innovation can flourish. Third is strengthening skills governance through better coordination, evidence and investment. This architecture draws on OECD good practice and anchors the TCLF approach in Europe’s wider skills and industrial policy landscape.

Seven strategic priorities translate the pillars into action. These include aligning education and industry through co-designed curricula and stronger dual learning systems, promoting inclusion and equality, fostering lifelong learning with modular pathways and micro-credentials, improving access for SMEs with cluster-based and shared training solutions, addressing regional disparities, leveraging EU and national funding more effectively, and enhancing the sector’s image and attractiveness. Each priority is backed by concrete recommendations that national, regional and local actors can adapt to their context.

A new engine for skills intelligence

Planning training for yesterday’s jobs is a risk the sector cannot afford. The strategy proposes a TCLF Skills Ob-servatory to gather and analyse real-time labour market information, including job postings, education data and technology adoption trends. Regular foresight will keep curricula and on-the-job training aligned with emerging roles and techniques. This creates the feedback loop that keeps the strategy agile and relevant through the decade.

What it means for learners

Learners can expect qualifications and programmes that integrate sustainability, digitalisation and core technical skills, with more exposure to real workplaces and the tools actually used on modern production lines. Modular courses and micro-credentials will make it easier to build competence step by step, return to learning when needed, and move between occupations as technologies change. Improved guidance and outreach aim to open opportunities to under-represented groups, including women in technical roles, migrants and adults seeking to reskill.

What it means for SMEs

Small firms remain the backbone of Europe’s TCLF industries, yet many struggle to dedicate time, money and staff to training. The strategy calls for shared training centres, simpler access to public support, digital learning platforms tailored to SME realities and cluster-based solutions that reduce cost and administrative burden. The objective is to make high-quality upskilling feasible for micro-enterprises and to help them retain experienced workers while attracting new talent.

What it means for regions

TCLF activity concentrates in regional clusters where training centres, technology hubs and supplier networks sit side by side. The strategy supports targeted investment to modernise facilities, strengthen inter-regional cooperation and bridge gaps where training has declined or drifted away from local industry profiles. This re-gional lens recognises the value of Europe’s industrial heritage and the role of place-based initiatives in acceler-ating transition.

A partnership already delivering results

The TCLF Large-scale Skills Partnership under the Pact for Skills has demonstrated the sector’s capacity to mobi-lise. Recent survey data report 178,194 training participants, the development or updating of over 3,000 pro-grammes, and more than €300 million mobilised for upskilling and reskilling among partners. These efforts pro-vide a strong base to scale through 2030.

Funding routes and implementation

Delivery does not depend on creating new funds. The strategy explains how to combine existing instruments such as ESF+, Erasmus+, ERDF, Digital Europe, the Recovery and Resilience Facility and InvestEU, and how to strengthen coordination so that funds reach the right actions at the right time. A formal mid-term review in 2027 will take stock of progress, adjust priorities and keep implementation aligned with emerging needs.

The bottom line

Skills are the foundation of a competitive, climate-neutral and socially fair TCLF ecosystem. Europe’s companies need people who can blend craftsmanship with environmental responsibility and digital fluency. Europe’s workers deserve accessible, relevant opportunities to grow, progress and shape the industry’s future. The EU TCLF Skills Strategy 2025 offers a shared, evidence-based roadmap to make this a reality.

Read the full strategy HERE.