From 23 to 27 February, the partners of the European project Metaskills4TCLF gathered in Prato, one of Europe’s leading textile districts, hosted by the PIN Foundation – Prato Campus of University of Florence, for the third Train the Trainers workshop. This event represents a key milestone in the development of digital and immersive skills within the Textile, Clothing, Leather and Footwear (TCLF) sector.

Part 1 – Setting up the s.Metaverse Lab

The first two days were dedicated to the “Setting up Metaverse Lab – Training of Technicians/Trainers/Teachers”, during which technicians and trainers worked together to configure immersive learning environments, experimenting with:

• the use of Virtual Reality in vocational education;
• headset configuration, safety procedures, and application installation;
• the functionalities of the MetaSkill VR platform;
• individual and multiplayer practical exercises, followed by a discussion and feedback session.

These activities strengthened the partners’ ability to design immersive training experiences capable of innovating VET provision across the European TCLF ecosystem.

Part 2 – Train the Trainers

The second part of the week brought together trainers and teachers from all over Europe for three intensive days of hands-on activities.

Participants had the opportunity to:

• experience VR training modules first-hand, simulating real industrial environments;
• explore how immersive learning can be integrated into VET pathways in the textile, fashion, leather and footwear sectors;
• deepen methodologies for designing engaging courses that combine technical content, virtual simulation and competence-based assessment;
• share experiences, teaching approaches and good practices at European level.

Virtual Reality proved to be a strategic tool for improving safety, efficiency and practical learning, particularly in the complex industrial contexts typical of the TCLF sectors, where the transfer of technical skills requires precision and direct experience.

The workshop also represented a key moment for the first experiments toward the creation of Metaverse Labs across Europe — including one that will be established at the PIN Foundation. These Labs represent a new frontier for training in the TCLF sectors, with the ambition of making the fashion and manufacturing industry more attractive to younger generations through advanced digital tools and hands-on experimentation.

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