IBSA Textiles, Clothing and Footwear Industry Forum

Employers often express concern with the current lack of skilled employees and yet, hundreds of students graduate from fashion and textiles courses every year.

This forum provides an opportunity for open and constructive dialogue between industry and education to clarify what skills are needed to address this apparent mismatch and discuss ways forward for the Textiles, Clothing and Footwear industry.

The national Textiles, Clothing and Footwear Industry Reference Committee will host an Industry Forum in Brisbane on Tuesday 15 October, in partnership with QMI Solutions and TAFE Queensland to hear from employers and the supply chain their views on the appropriate skills needed for their businesses.

Panel members include:

• Meriel Chamberlin, Full Circle Fibres – Skills for a circular economy

• Dr Hilde Heim, Australian Institute of Creative Design - Skill building for emerging technologies in the Textiles, Clothing and Footwear industry

• Sam Nicolosi, QMI Solutions - Textiles, Clothing and Footwear workforce needs and resourcing

The fashion industry is undergoing largescale changes as a direct result of the rise of technology and its impact on consumer behaviour. As a result, some of the most successful fashion firms today are headed by computer scientists or call themselves media companies.

The ultimate challenge for fashion businesses is to affect digital transformation in every aspect of its organisational culture, in response to a market and industry need for hybrid professionals. Through short presentations each panel member will provide their perspective on what’s needed and introduce some of the initiatives around building digital skills for the fashion employees of the future.

Join the panel discussion and open Q&A session for a frank discussion with industry peers.

As part of the Q&A, participants will be encouraged to also share their experience in using new technologies and/or materials to innovate their business practices.