A report from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) and TAFE NSW has identified 20 jobs Australian fashion needs to fill to secure a sustainable future – and warns the skills to do it are already in short supply.
The report, WORK: Fashion + Sustainability Jobs of the Future was published as a blueprint for improving the sustainability of the industry by The Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Sustainable Fashion + Textiles – a collaboration between UTS and TAFE NSW. It brings together the perspectives of representatives in the local industry including brands, retailers, designers, and manufacturers, alongside academic expertise from two of Australia’s leading fashion schools.
Central to the report is the identification of 20 roles, ranging from business and strategy, design and circularity, to technology and advanced manufacturing that will ensure sustainable practices in the Australian fashion industry. A few of these identified roles already exist, but their significance and reach will increase as the industry continues its sustainability transition.
“These roles provide insights to the skills needed to transition Australia's fashion sector to sustainability and highlight the broad and varied work of the industry,” Director of CoE and UTS lead researcher Dr Lisa Lake said.
“The sector brings in $27 billion to the Australian economy and employs over 500,000 Australians, 77 per cent of whom are women. Yet, the industry is facing a range of challenges including severe shortages of skilled workers.”
Despite the challenges, Dr Lake said a sustainable fashion future is within reach, adding that some leaders are already demonstrating this.
“An example is Shirley Tam who is profiled in the report and works at UTS as a 3D Knitting Technical Officer, where she bridges research, industry and making,” Dr Lake said. “She is an expert in sustainable, production-viable seamless knitting, running experimental sprints that result in repeatable knit outcomes.”
Some of the 20 named jobs of the future include ‘Sustainable Operations Director’, ‘First Nations Engagement Specialist’, ‘Transition Broker’, ‘Circular Innovation Architect’, ‘Smart Factory Manager’, ‘Technology Integration Facilitator’ and ‘Textile Recycling Specialist’.
This all comes as Australia’s fashion industry faces mounting scrutiny for its social and environmental impacts. The industry, according to the report, produces high levels of water pollution, waste, soil contamination and ecosystem degradation, and emits between 8-10 per cent of global carbon emissions. There are also issues around human rights and inequality across supply chains.
“In Australia alone, 220,000 tonnes of clothing waste went to landfill in 20244, and consumers bought 6 per cent more new garments than they did the year before, equalling an average of 55 garments per person,” the report read.
“However, increasing regulations, particularly in the European Union in relation to digital product passports (DPP) and extended producer responsibility (EPR), and the United States’ Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act of 2021, mean that brands exporting to those regions must operate transparently and responsibly, and have the documentation to prove their ethical and environmental claims.”
The report also pointed to other studies that unpack the challenges ahead. Over a third (39 per cent) of the existing skills held by workers today will become obsolete between 2025 and 2030, according to the World Economic Forum’s Future (WEF) of Jobs Report 2025. Meanwhile, 63 per cent of employers globally cite skills gaps as their biggest barrier to business transformation.
Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education, Steve Whan, launched the report this week. He called it a blueprint for how NSW can support real jobs in fashion by investing in the skills needed.
“This is about preparing workers and businesses for the future – making sure NSW has the right skills to support sustainable jobs and a stronger fashion industry,” Whan said.
“The WORK report directly supports the NSW Government’s Fashion Sector Strategy, providing a clear workforce blueprint to help position our state as a leader in fashion education, research, and advanced manufacturing.”
TAFE NSW managing director Chloe Read said the CoE collaboration with UTS shows what can be achieved when educators and industry work together to address skills needs.
“This report shows the power of partnership,” Read said. “By bringing together industry, TAFE NSW and UTS, we’re building the skills and pathways needed to support future jobs and help the fashion industry transition to a more sustainable, circular economy.”