Action is needed to help the textile, clothing and footwear (TCF) industry retain vital jobs, according to a Queensland interest group.
In a bid to tackle the ever-increasing skill shortage across the TCF board, TCF Connect, formed by like-minded participants, is joining with the Creative Industry Skills Council (CISC) to highlight the areas of concern.
The group will look at providing a solution to ensure that fashion manufacturing can continue in Queensland.
To try and help the issue they will hold a think tank to discuss ways they can attract people to take up training opportunities in a sector 'crying out for staff', a spokesman said.
“The clothing manufacturing sector has been in decline for the past 25 years. This decline has become more rapid as other career paths were promoted more, as the appeal of manufacturing jobs lessened,” a spokesman said.
A spokesman said the fashion industry is stronger than ever in Queensland through the great work of the Queensland University of Technology, the Metropolitan South Institute of TAFE, and other organisations, but stressed that strong growth deficiencies in skills have also become widely apparent.
The think tank will be held on March 27 at MSIT Campus, Cavendish Road, Mt Gravatt, Brisbane, at 10.30am.
For more details visit www.tcfconnect.com.au or www.cisc.com.au