Enabling Industry 4.0 Skills in Textile SMEs

One sector with major economic importance in Europe is the textile and clothing sector. It plays a crucial role, not only in the economy but also in the well-being of many EU regions. However, SMEs in the textile ecosystem are being held back by a lack of skilled employees, with this lack being particularly significant in terms of digitalisation and new technologies. At the same time, the global textile industry is on the way to gradually adopting Industry 4.0, leading to a wide range of emerging technologies being used in production and supply chain. These technologies are gradually reshaping the textile industry and its labour market demands, driving a shift towards a more digitally resilient workforce. Thus, there is a crucial need for reskilling and upskilling the current workforce to meet the needs of adjusting to the quickly changing production lines and end-market requirements, but also provide training to aspiring employees of the sector, to whom the textile industry could be an employment path. Under the TEX4.0 project, the consortium aimed to provide the current textile workforce as well as NEETs, for whom textile sector could be a future employer, with the necessary skills to address the lack of digital knowledge in the

TEX4.0 project`s objectives are as follows: O1:To identify the needs of VET trainers and learners in the field of Industry 4.0 technologies training O2: To develop a curriculum on Industry 4.0 skills in the Textile sector for VET Trainers O3:To equip VET trainers, learners, and textile stakeholders with the necessary knowledge and tools through an innovative training package on Industry 4.0-related skills O4:To provide an e-learning format with attractive and dynamic functions where all material will be integrated O5:To implement engaging training activities using participatory approaches in order to test the results and upskill the target groups O6:To disseminate the project results through partners and the project’s networks and enhance their impact across the EU.

Under the TEX4.0 project partners implemented: project management activities: administrative tasks, virtual meetings, preparation of communication materials & participants' engagement implementation activities: f2f working sessions, focus group sessions, survey analyses, learning material development, Joint Staff Training Activity, national pilotings, Transnational Learning Activity, evaluation activities sharing & promotion activities: dissemination through social media, websites, newsletters, national sharing & promotion events.

The TEX4.0 project had the following results: WP2: Based on research results of a survey among VET trainers, learners, and textile stakeholders, the curriculum on emerging technologies and training methods were developed for VET trainers and textile stakeholders. They covered a spectrum of Industry 4.0 technologies adopted in the textile sector to better understand how they can be exploited in daily work. WP3: The three-faceted platform, including the e-learning environment for VET learners, the trainer's Toolkit for VET trainers and textile stakeholders, and the Textile4all space with educational and informative material for all target groups and beneficiaries, was created on the Industry 4.0 technologies and their applications in the textile sector WP4: The developed Training Suite was evaluated during Joint Staff Training Activity and tested through the Piloting Sessions and “My TEXperience”. Learning outcomes and acquired skills positively evaluated the project platform as well as fostered participative learning environment. WP5: The partners followed a targeted dissemination strategy to promote the project’s results, and activities were designed to reach specific target groups and deliver clear benefits to each,