PROJECT DETAILS

Increasing competition from emerging economies and the global economic downturn are resulting in severe pressure on textile enterprises the cross-border area of Greece and the Republic of North Macedonia. The rising competition from production countries in Asia and Africa, the turbulences of the European economy and the need of updated and new skills of the workforce, pose common challenges which require coordinated actions. The project aims at creating a Fashion Center which will act as an Employment Hub of crossborder character and impact offering integrated and innovative support services, tools and knowledge to professionals and prospective entrepreneurs in the wider cross-border area. The Employment Hub will act as a unique center bringing together all stakeholders involved in the fashion industry, providing them with new training skills and professional competences. It will also facilitate the exchange of innovative ideas and sustainable methods, enhance the know-how transfer and promote creative thinking and development. The focus of the project is on the latter crucial parameter, the human capital capacity building, especially of young graduates that form significant part of the national workforce of the two countries. After all, the sector is in need of skilled employees and executives, as well as of competitive services. The general objective of the project is to address the common cross-border challenges of the fashion sector by establishing a Fashion Employment Hub and an antenna that will support SMEs and young graduates in the fashion and fashion-related sectors (footwear, leather, jewelry). This will not only deliver real, practical benefits of high added value to the project target groups (graduates, students, SMEs), but it will also help ensure the competitiveness of the CB area for the textile and apparel industries. After all, the proposed Fashion Employment Hub will enhance the development of CB economic activities through the utilisation of the existing potential and the emerging opportunities of collaboration and experience-sharing. The project will establish a theoretical framework for fashion start-ups and enterprises through the implementation of an extensive research, in order to provide guidelines and support on issues related to business financing, innovation, extroversion & sustainability. The project also aspires through the implementation of appropriate social networking activities and workshops to promote business know-how and good practices in fashion industry. Professionals will have the opportunity to meet, exchange business ideas and develop new ones. A Partenariat and a B2B portal will be developed which will act as a platform bringing together all fashion stakeholders and providing access to updated knowledge concerning technological innovations, sustainable production methods and materials, new market trends.