Advanced textile materials are a thriving sub-sector in the textile and clothing ecosystem based on high added value and differentiation as unique selling proposition. Innovation in this field is key in the resilience building of the EU textile sector and its competitiveness, particularly in VUCA environments such as COVID-19 pandemic.Two major trends to increase the innovation ecosystem in the advanced textile sector are the update of digitalization and green innovations to address climate change and improve the sustainability of the sector. However, there is a lack of knowledge by textile SMEs in digital tools beyond traditional CRM and ERP. In addition, while sustainability is raising in the textile sector, many companies are still far from exploiting tools and principles such as eco-design.Therefore, a holistic approach fostering the digital and green transition is needed to boost innovation in the sector through knowledge transfer and co-creation between academia and the industrial sector. Clusters will bring together the triple helix of innovation along with industry.The ADDTEX project main objective is to facilitate the flow and co-creation of knowledge between higher education (HEI) and vocational education and training (VET), research, public sector and business sector within the advanced textile materials sector to foster new, innovative and multidisciplinary approaches to teaching and learning. In parallel, the project aims to stimulate a sense of initiative and entrepreneurial attitudes, mindsets and skills in learners, educational staff and other workers, in line with the Green Deal and Entrepreneurship Competence Framework. ADDTEX will also improve the quality and relevance of skills developed and certified through education and training systems. The project will also reinforce the clusters in each region, supporting education and training of advanced textile materials companies through linkages with HEIs and VETs.

The Textile, Clothing, Leather, and Footwear (TCLF) industries in Europe with an annual turnover of €195 billion in 2019, employs 2 million workers in 220.600 companies, 99% SMEs concentrated in Italy, Romania, Poland, Portugal, Germany and Spain, more precisely in a few regions. TCLF has now to tackle with the challenges presented by the new digital era at a higher level, within a framework of transition to a greener, circular economy increasing the resilience of the organizations involved. The new METASKILLS4TCLF proposal, allying 30 partners, is robust and ambitious, responding to all objectives of the Alliances for Sectoral Cooperation on Skills (implementing the “Blueprint”), crosses the PACT4SKILLS TCLF pillars, and, with the compromise of consolidating and updating part of the former Skills4Smart TCLF Industries 2030 project outcomes, namely skills strategy, curricula and contents, results in a stronger and a wider scope cooperation, anticipating and responding to new skills gaps with innovative educational multilevel resources and delivering methodologies, involving new actors in the educational scene of TCLF across Europe, raising attractiveness and inclusion, preventing that “no talent is wasted”, together with a strong dissemination campaign and sustainability plan.The new outcomes will be:-Strong skills partnership with relevant stakeholders-Skills Intelligence for Forecasting and Monitoring TCLF Emerging Skills Needs-New modular training curricula/training modules “Inside Fashion” (both for initial education & training and upskilling-reskilling of the workforce), all tested in due piloting opportunities-Innovative modular contents, VR training and learning tools and update the ones developed in the former blueprint -A European Virtual Reality Campus-A train the trainers and teacher package to strengthening skills supply to demand -An awareness raising campaign on attractiveness and inclusion in the TCLF industries and correspondent tools.

Textiles and clothing, one of the most important sectors of activity in Europe with more than 3 million persons employed, has been severely affected by crisis and restructuring processes.The textile industry is traditional for Europe, with a centuries-old history, offering high quality and innovative products. It is the leading sector in the EU. According to EURATEX Annual report 2018, the EU-28 is the world's largest market for textile and clothing products with household consumption of € 520 billion, it turnover is 178 billion; in the TCI are employed 1.7 million workers; the industry exports to outside EU amount to almost € 50 billion; the EU TCI counts 171,000 companies, 99% of which are small and medium-sized niche players focusing on quality, innovation, creativity and outstanding customer service. The development of the necessary competences and skills for existing workforce and attracting qualified young experts of the next generation has become a priority for companies. The textile industry is in a pressing need of human resources because a great part (about 40%) is expected to retire in the next few years, and it is not attractive to young people.As the results of TECLO project (www.teclo.eu) highlight, European companies (especially SMEs) need more skilled employees especially with regard to competences related to innovation, management, and internationalisation. As, the Skills4Smart TCLF Industries 2030 (http://www.s4tclfblueprint.eu) key research findings further demonstrate, these competences are not adequately addressed by traditional VET courses so, in order to enable a new generation of Textile and Clothing professionals to adequate face the challenges of this sector, new training tools and more effective training approaches are needed.FACTIVE project aims to make a further step on the path set by TECLO project, reusing and further implementing its good results, while also complement the ongoing work implemented in the framework of the Skills4Smart TCLF Industries 2030 project. The main objectives of FACTIVE project are, indeed:to enhance the quality and relevance of the learning offer in Textile and Clothing VET training by developing of an innovative learning approach based on flipped classrooms methodology and scenario-based learning approach;to improve the level and the assessment of learners’ competences, including entrepreneurship, non-technological innovation and internationalisation;to promote take-up of innovative practices, by using open and flexible learning tools.Starting from good practices already in use in Europe and a thorough analysis of companies needs concerning non technological innovation and internationalization skills, the partnership will integrate the TECLO Massive Open Online Course with new contents and will develop a Flipped Classroom Methodology to be used by VET trainers in the Textile and Clothing Sector.The main activities foreseen by the project are:- Development of a new flexible, integrated, innovative learning approach for the T&C VET Trainers, based on the flipped classroom methodology, in order to overcome the limits of traditional, too theoretical, VET training approaches;- Integration of the TECLO MOOC with new contents, based on real work situations defined with the collaboration of T&C European companies;- Validation of the FACTIVE approach by project partners; - Piloting of the FACTIVE approach by relevant stakeholders;- Animation of a Community of practice for VET trainers and providers;- Development of a Handbook for VET teacher and trainers containing guidelines about how to use the Training Toolkit and how to evaluate learning outcomes.

3DGarT addresses VET initial and continuous training in the garment sector, in Jordan and Palestine. It builds on the recommendations obtained by a previous Eramsus+ Capacity Building project for HEIs, on similar studies in Palestine and it follows the Priorities for Action from ETF for Human Capital Development in both countries. It aims at modernizing the offered VET training by incorporating the principles of 3D Garment Design into the curricula of Initial VET training and also in advancing the knowledge of existing employees in design departments.The project will draw knowledge from the participating HEIs and training providers, which offer courses on 3D Garment design, adapt it to the needs of VET providers and Final Users and transform it into curriculum, profile design and training reform actions for newcomers and for existing employees. It will improve the level of competences, skills and employability potential of VET learners by developing new and innovative VET education programs, by delivering key competences and ICT skills related to 3D garment design.The specific objectives of the projects are to: Establish an innovative lab center for creativity and design “Garment and Fashion Design Center” one in each country, to design and implement comprehensive training programs for students, semi-skilled workers, trainers, stakeholders based on the assessment of needs including study tours for selected participants to an internationally renowned fashion institution, to developing and implement promotional and marketing strategies and materials including a market outlook, and assisting workshops/entrepreneurs to consolidate business linkages with local and international markets.Work is accomplished in 6 work packages, and the consortium consists of HEIs, a Technical College, NPOs and a Technological Centre, specialised in training for the textile and garment sector.

"RO PULSE+ projectMatching skills and labour market needs: Impulsing a new generation of production schools for providing second chance environments addressed to low skilled young and adult unemployed with Erasmus+Everywhere in Europe, countries are facing the challenge of higher unemployment rates, which especially hit fragilized publics of youngsters (less 29) and seniors (more than 45) who have lower-qualified profile, often combined with social difficulties which may cause drop-outs and reluctance to training. In addition, Europe is suffering from a lack of sector-adapted technical competences as well as transversal job-oriented skills for a successful integration of the Labour market. In this context, alternative training, including apprenticeship or labour oriented training for young and less young adults have grown and many see in it an adapted compromise to tackle issue of unemployment. This is why interesting success model such as ""Production School"" have emerged and caught the attention of many actors in Europe. Developed in Denmark and implemented in different countries in EU and in the world, Production Schools (PS) have proved its efficiency in tackling the fragile situations of young dropped-out by valorising their work as employed persons in the school, thus raising confidence and will for getting trained again, and by encouraging the acquisition of transversal skills which can be valorised on the labour market. But the observation is that more people could benefit of this model as it is currently not enough developed in EU - only Denmark, Austria, Germany and France have implemented the model, whereas in Sweden and Finland the concept launched only recently. Also, production schools address a specific and narrow target group, which is turned towards youngsters, more often teenagers (e.g. 14-18 y. in France). Based on these observations, 7 organizations from Austria, France, Italy, Portugal and Turkey, supported by the French pioneer of PS in France, gathered together in order to develop the concept and methodologies at stake, and do adapt this model in their countries, directing it to 2 target groups:- low-qualified and / or drop-out youngs NEETs (Not in Employment, Education or Training) (16-29)- low-qualified senior / adults NEETs (45+)In order to realize this, the project can rely on a solid partnership made of organizations which are expert VET providers and sector-oriented representants in the field of work-based training and in insertion initiatives, notably for youngsters and senior adults facing exclusion situations and long term unemployment. These partners have a very good knowledge of the target groups involved and can rely on their long experience in European cooperation to successfully develop their common proposition. The PRO PULSE+ project expects the following results:1) Country-specific researches and analysis of the Production School characteristics with the purposes to adapt the concept and methodology to the new national contexts (IT, PT, TR) and new target groups (AT, FR): - Good Practices Collection (O1) - State of the Art Transnational Report (O2) 2) Practical guidelines and tool kits for adapting the concept and methodologies in each country (IT, PT, TR, AT, FR) : - PRO PULSE+ Model (O3) 3) Pedagogical material adapted for the training staff involved in running the Production school training activities, taking in consideration sector-specific needs (IT, PT, TR, AT, FR): - PRO PULSE+ eToolbox (O4) supported by a train-the-professionals and including a phase of national testings4) Policy recomandations guidelines to implement the PRO PULSE+model, on the basis of the activities and findings obtained within the project (IT, PT, TR, AT, FR): - PRO PULSE+ Guidelines (O5)6) Valorisation of the PRO PULSE+ model and large dissemination of the results (IT, PT, TR, AT, FR) - supported by the PRO PULSE+ Final Conference in France (E6) -PRO PULSE+ Open Educational Resources Platform (O6)PRO PULSE+ project intends to have a large impact especially considering the strong interest shared by the consortium members and their abilities to reach a large audience, either at level of education and training actors, policy makers and final beneficiaries. The project work program strongly supports the large impact on beneficiaries:- Awareness raising to the situations of lower qualified unemployed young and seniors in EU- Development of PRO PULSE+ model of adapted production schools in 5 countries- Valorization of 2nd chance environments provided by PRO PULSE+ in EU- Creation of a large strong network of PRO PULSE+ training units promoters at EU level"