There are exciting and diverse career pathways across the textiles, clothing and footwear industry – from niche fabrics processors to boutique apparel and footwear manufacturers, and specialists in repair, cleaning and maintenance. The industry combines traditional craftsmanship with emerging skills that drive innovation, embrace new technologies, and adjust to changes in consumer preferences and environmental regulations. Building on existing knowledge, this project will map the skills and career pathways across the industry to support a future-ready workforce.
Click across the tabs to view active and completed project stages. Consultation takes place at every stage of the project.
This project will identify current and emerging skill needs, career pathways, transferrable skills, and gaps in training provision. Insights from this work can be used to inform the design of training products and other workforce planning considerations.
The project stems from a recommendation in A Changing Workforce: Opportunities and challenges for shaping the future textiles, clothing and footwear industry, produced as part of the 2024-25 Textiles, Clothing and Footwear Workforce Insights Project. It builds on previous efforts to support the industry in meeting its evolving workforce needs.
The project team will undertake targeted consultations, surveys, interviews and focus groups across metropolitan and regional areas, supported by data from the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER), Australian Bureau of Statistics, and Jobs and Skills Australia, to provide a contemporary view of industry’s skills and occupations.
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Project scope
TextileWorks, a part of ForestWorks, will be working collaboratively with Skills Insight to produce an evidence-based framework of current and emerging job roles and associated skills, and identify skills that are transferable across job roles, sectors and other industries.
The mapping will focus on occupational roles, skill sets, and career pathways within the following six production-focused sectors of the industry:
- textile manufacturing (natural and synthetic)
- fashion and apparel manufacturing
- leather manufacturing
- footwear production
- dry cleaning and laundry services
- clothing and footwear repairs and alterations.
Retail and warehousing sectors of the industry are out of current scope.
Opportunities to contribute will be available throughout the project via this website. Subscribe to receive news on project updates.
Timeline
Project team
Rob Stowell
Project Consultant
[email protected]
Louise Fitzpatrick
Project Manager
TextileWorks
[email protected]
To provide a contemporary view of the textiles, clothing and footwear industry’s skills and occupations, consultation workshops took place in early 2026 to gather stakeholder input. These sessions focused on:
- mapping key job roles
- discussing how skill requirements are changing
- identifying priority areas for workforce development and training.
Workshop series
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Thank you to everyone who contributed to the workshops. As the project progressed, some planned workshops shifted to targeted site visits providing a firsthand view of job roles, day-to-day tasks and emerging skill needs. Meetings with businesses, workers, unions, training providers and industry associations provided practical insight, strengthened the evidence base and helped shape the Occupation and Skills Map.
| Industry sub-sector | Time and date |
|---|---|
| Dry cleaning | Shifted to site visit engagement |
| Laundry services | Shifted to site visit engagement |
| Leather | 11am – 12.30pm Thursday 12 February 2026 |
| Footwear | 1.30pm – 3pm Thursday 12 February 2026 |
| Fashion and apparel | Shifted to site visit engagement |
| Fashion and apparel | 11am – 12.30pm Wednesday 25 February 2026 |
| Clothing repairs and alterations | 1.30pm – 3pm Wednesday 25 February 2026 |
| Textile floor covering manufacturing | 10.30am – 12pm Thursday 12 March 2026 |
| Natural and synthetic textile manufacturing | 12.30pm – 2pm Thursday 12 March 2026 |
| Cut and sewn textile product manufacturing | 2.30pm – 4pm Thursday 12 March 2026 |
| Textile recycling and remanufacturing | Shifted to site visit engagement |
Next steps
Skills mapping documents will be available for consensus soon.
Work to date
Thank you to stakeholders who provided feedback on the draft framework and consultation strategy that were available from December 2025 to January 2026 and can be found below.
Mapping Framework
The mapping framework outlines the proposed structure and development approach for a resource designed to identify occupational structures, skill needs, career pathways, and VET pathways to support workforce development.
It covers occupations and skills across seven sub-sectors:
Consultation approach
A Project Governance Group was formed to provide strategic oversight, review draft materials and ensure the Occupation and Skills Map reflects current practices and future needs. The group includes representatives from industry, unions, training providers and policy bodies.
A National Data Collection and Consultation Strategy was produced describing the mechanisms for collecting stakeholder input. The aim is to create a strong feedback loop so that the occupation and skills map is evidence-based and aligned with industry priorities.
The draft National Data Collection and Consultation Strategy outlines project activities for January to May 2026, including:
Detailed Skills Profiles have been created for job roles across the textiles, clothing and footwear industry, along with a Skills and Occupation Mapping Guide. The Skills Profiles and Mapping Guide bring together research and stakeholder input to identify the occupations, skills, knowledge and career pathways that currently support the industry, as well as those likely to be required in the future.
Thank you to everyone who provided input on the draft content between 7 and 20 July as part of the Consensus Gathering stage.
Feedback was sought on whether occupations are accurately reflected, particularly in relation to:
Your input will ensure the Mapping Guide and Skills Profiles accurately reflect the workforce needs of Australia’s textiles, clothing and footwear industry.
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View the draft documents
Stakeholders were encouraged to review content relevant to their expertise and provide feedback on its accuracy, relevance and completeness.
The Mapping Guide
The Textiles, Clothing and Footwear Industry Skills and Occupation Mapping Guide was produced to provide industry and workforce analysis across 13 sectors. It includes details of economic contributions, key trends and drivers, transformation priorities and future growth areas, along with a list of relevant occupations.
Skill Profiles
Individual Skills Profiles were developed for job roles within the 13 industry sectors, describing key tasks, skills, qualifications and career pathways. Profiles were also created for cross sector occupations.
This project has delivered a comprehensive suite of industry resources designed to help employers, workers, trainers, careers practitioners and job seekers better understand the skills required across the sector.
Developed through extensive consultation with industry stakeholders, these resources showcase the breadth of occupations within the industry and provide practical guidance on the skills, capabilities and training pathways that support career progression.
This project has delivered two key outputs:
Textiles, clothing and footwear skills mapping guide
This guide provides an overview of the industry’s occupations, skills requirements and career pathways. It is designed to help stakeholders identify workforce capability needs, support workforce planning activities and strengthen understanding of how skills are developed across different roles.
The guide can be used by:
Occupation skills profiles
The Skills Profiles highlight the skills, knowledge, qualifications and career pathways associated with key occupations and can be used to support recruitment, workforce development, career planning and promotion of industry opportunities to new entrants.
Profiles include:
Supporting attraction, retention and workforce development
The project outcomes provide valuable resources for strengthening workforce capability across the Textiles, Clothing and Footwear industry.
Through articulating occupational pathways and the skills required for success, these resources support:
These resources demonstrate the diversity of career opportunities across the sector and help ensure workers, businesses and training organisations have access to industry-relevant information that supports a skilled and sustainable workforce.
We encourage employers, educators, careers practitioners and industry representatives to utilise these resources to support workforce development and promote career opportunities across the sector.
Occupation Skills Profiles
Select a sector below to download a collection of occupational skills profiles in PDF.
SSAPP01 3D Garment Visualisation Specialist
SSAPP02 Buyer
SSAPP03 Creative Director
SSAPP04 Cutter
SSAPP05 Designer – Fashion
SSAPP06 Designer – Knitwear
SSAPP07 Digital Patternmaker
SSAPP08 Fit Coordinator
SSAPP09 Garment Finisher
SSAPP10 Grader
SSAPP11 Head of Design
SSAPP12 Marker Maker [CAD markers]
SSAPP13 Merchandise Planner
SSAPP14 Packer Dispatch Officer
SSAPP15 Patternmaker – Manual
SSAPP16 Product Compliance Coordinator
SSAPP17 Product Developer
SSAPP18 Presser Steamer
SSAPP19 Product Manager
SSAPP20 Production Assistant
SSAPP21 Research and Development Coordinator
SSAPP22 Sample Machinist Prototype Sewer
SSAPP23 Sample Room Manager
SSAPP24 Sewing Technician Machinist
SSAPP25 On Demand Print Operator Apparel
SSAPP26 Revised Technical Development Technician – Apparel
SSAPP26 Technical Designer Garment Technician
SSAPP27 Washing Laundry Dry-Cleaning Operator
SSAPP28 Yarn Technologist
SSAPP29 Digital Knitwear Programmer Knit CAD Technician
SSAPP30 Garment Dyeing Technician – Apparel Knitwear
SSAPP31 Knitting Machine Mechanic – Apparel Knitwear
SSAPP32 Knitting Machine Operator – Flatbed
SSAPP33 Knitting Machine Operator – Whole Garment Seamless
SSAPP34 Knitting Machine Operator Circular
SSAPP35 Knitting Machine Operator Fully Fashioned
SSAPP36 Linking Operator
SSAPP37 Slitting Stenting Operator
SSAPP38 Heat Transfer Operator
SSAPP39 Label Printing and Application Technician
SSAPP40 Digital Textile Printer
SAPP41 Screen Print Operator
SSAPP42 Embroidery Technician
SSAPP43 Milliner Hat Maker
SSBIO01 Compression Garment Fitting Specialist
SSBIO02 Digital Pattern Maker
SSBIO03 Alterations Adjustment Specialist
SSBIO04 Biomedical Textile Prototyping and Testing Technician
SSBIO05 Biomedical Textile Product Development Engineer
SSBIO06 3D Body Scan Operator
SSBIO07 Textile Production Technician
SSBIO08 Product Assembly Technician
SSBIO09 Sterilisation and Packaging Technician
SSBIO10 Cleanroom Production Technician
SSBIO11 Advanced Fabrication Technician
SSBIO12 Process and Quality Technician
SSBIO13 Sterilisation and Validation Technician
SSBIO14 Regulatory Affairs Specialist
SSBIO15 Product Developer
SSCAR01 Production Operator Tufting
SSCAR02 Production Operator Backing Coating Operator
SSCAR03 Production Operator – Finishing
SSCAR04 Creel Loader
SSCAR05 Production Team Leader
SSCAR06 Production Technician
SSCAR07 Yarn Process Quality Technician
SSCAR08 Dyeing Colour Control Technician
SSCAR09 Yarn Production Operator
SSCAR10 Product Testing Technician
SSCAR11 Environmental Compliance Officer
SSCAR12 Product Development Technologist
SSCAR13 Product Development Manager
SSCAR14 Specification Consultant
SSCAR16 Production Operator – Extrusion
SSCAR17 Sports Surface Systems Technician
SSCAR18 Synthetic Turf InstallerSSCAR19 Synthetic Turf Maintenance Technician
SSALT01 Alterations and Repairs Specialist [Integrated]
SSALT02 Alterations Sewing Machinist
SSALT03 Ancillary Services Operator
SSALT04 Bridal Formalwear Alterations Specialist
SSALT05 Costume Alteration Specialist – Theatrical Costumes
SSALT06 Dressmaker
SSALT07 Footwear Machinery Technician
SSALT08 Footwear Repairs Technician [Generalist]
SSALT09 Leather Suede Garment Repair Specialist
SSALT10 Materials and Components Coordinator
SSALT11 Tailor [Structured Garments]
SSALT12 Partnerships & Business Development Coordinator
SSALT13 Repair Specialist [Zips Seams Reinforcement]
SSALT14 Store Studio Manager
SSGIN01 Gin Plant Manager
SSGIN02 Head Ginner Shift Supervisor
SSGIN03 Ginning Machine Operator
SSGIN04 Assistant Ginner
SSGIN05 Materials Handling Operator
SSGIN06 Baler Press Operator
SSGIN07 Grablift Moonbuggy Operator
SSGIN08 Cotton Classer
SSGIN09 Yard and Gin Cleaner
SSGIN10 Seasonal Labourer
SSMTC01 Project Manager Fabrication and Systems
SSMTC02 Product Development Manager
SSMTC03 Technical Designer Textiles and Systems
SSMTC04 Design Engineer
SSMTC05 Product Lead Specialist
SSMTC06 Cutting Manager
SSMTC07 Cutting Machine Operator
SSMTC08 Multi Skilled Fabrication Operator
SSMTC09 Finishing Operator
SSMTC10 Installation Supervisor
SSMTC11 Installation Technician
SSTMC12 Technical Textile Estimator
SSDCL01 Dry Cleaner Garment Processing Technician
SSDCL02 Spotter Stain Treatment Specialist
SSDCL03 Pressing Finishing Technician
SSDCL04 Laundry Operator
SSDCL05 Production Assistant Dry Cleaning
SSDCL06 Dry Cleaning Equipment Technician
SSDCL07 Dry Cleaning Automation Systems Technician
SSDCL08 POS Garment Tracking Admin
SSDCL09 Sustainable Cleaning Systems Specialist
SSDCL10 Dispatch Garment Tracking Officer
SSDCL11 Customer Service Front Counter Assistant
SSDCL12 Boiler Operator
SSDCL13 RFID Linen Tracking Specialist
SSDCL14 Linen and Inventory Coordinator
SSDCL15 Laundry Worker Soil Sort
SSDCL16 Laundry Worker Washroom
SSDCL17 Laundry Worker Flatwork Finishing
SSDCL18 Laundry Worker Finishing
SSDCL19 Laundry Worker Packing Dispatch
SSDCL20 Laundry Worker Advanced Machine Operator
SSDCL21 Linen Porter
SSDCL22 Infection Control Coordinator
SSDCL23 Laundry Automation Control Systems Technician
SSDCL24 Marketing and Local Promotion Coordinator
SSDCL25 On Demand Laundry Dispatch Coordinator
SSDCL26 On Demand Laundry Customer Service Officer
SSDCL27 On Demand Laundry Driver Operator
SSDCL28 ERP Laundry Systems Support Officer
SSDCL29 Laundry Worker Mending and Repairs
SSFOT01 Adhesives Compounds Specialist
SSFOT02 CAD Technician
SSFOT03 Chemical Compliance Specialist
SSFOT04 Footwear Designer
SSFOT05 Footwear Machine Operator – Closing
SSFOT06 Footwear Machine Operator – Cutting
SSFOT07 Footwear Machine Operator – Finishing
SSFOT08 Footwear Machine Operator – General
SSFOT09 Footwear Machine Operator – Lasting and Assembly
SSFOT10 Footwear Production Assistant
SSFOT11 Materials Technologist
SSFOT12 Product Developer
SSFOT13 Prototype Maker
SSFOT14 Technical Developer
SSFOT15 Repair and Modification Specialist
SSFOT16 Senior Production Technician
SSFOT17 Shoe and Boot Maker
SSFOT18 Shoe and Boot Maker Apprentice
SSFOT19 3D Footwear Modelling Technician
SSLPR01 Environmental Monitoring Technician
SSLPR02 Leather Production Operator – Beamhouse
SSLPR03 Leather Production Operator – Curing and Storage
SSLPR04 Leather Production Operator – Finishing
SSLPR05 Leather Production Operator – Retanning
SSLPR06 Leather Technologist
SSLPR07 Leather Technician
SSLPR08 Raw Hide Procurement Specialist
SSLPR09 Leather Production Operator – Tanning
SSLPR10 Effluent Treatment Plant Operator
SSLPR11 Team Leader Retanning
SSLPR12 Team Leader – Beamhouse
SSLPR13 Team Leader – Curing and Storage
SSLPR14 Team Leader – Finishing
SSLPR15 Team Leader – Tanning
SSLPR16 Warehouse and Logistics Supervisor
SSLPR17 Sales Marketing Ecommerce Manager
SSLPR18 Leather Goods Retail Sales Customer Service AssistantSSLPR19 Leather Goods Designer – Leather Goods
SSLPR20 Sample Maker
SSLPR21 Leather Goods Maker
SSLPR22 Saddler
SSLPR23 Saddle Assembler
SSLPR24 Saddler Apprentice Trainee – Leather Goods
SSLPR25 Saddle Repairer – Leather Goods
SSLPR26 Saddle Fitting Specialist
SSLPR27 Harness and Tack Maker
SSLPR28 Apprentice Leather Goods Maker Skill Profile
SSNST01 Product Development Specialist Textile Technologist
SSNST02 Technical Textile Designer
SSNST03 Multiskilled Fibre Preparation and Spinning OperatorSSNST05 Technical Textile Production Operator
SSNST06 Coating and Lamination Operator
SSNST07 Textile Finishing Operator
SSNST08 Textile Testing Technician
SSNST09 Textile Machinery and Process Technician
SSNST10 Finishing Machinist
SSNST11 Multiskilled Fabric Dyeing Operator
SSNST12 Multiskilled Fabric Finishing Operator
SSNST13 Multiskilled Yarn Dyeing Operator
SSNST14 Multiskilled Fabric Printing Operator
SSROP01 Product Developer Rope Cordage and Twine
SSROP02 Production Operator Rope Cordage Twine
SSROP03 Fabrication Finishing Operator
CS01 Administrative Officer
CS02 Plant Engineer
CS03 Director – Finance and Corporate Services CFO Head of Finance Financial Controller
CS04 Manager – Human Resources and Workforce Development
CS05 Director – Operations COO General Manager Operations Manager
CS06 Director Manager – Product Design and Development
CS07 Manager – Risk, Compliance and Sustainability
CS08 Director – Sales and Marketing
CS09 Manager – Technology and Digital Systems
CS10 Forklift Operator
CS11 IT Systems Support Officer
CS13 Managing Director CEO General Manager Owner
CS14 Offshore Production Coordinator
CS15 Online Sales E-Commerce Coordinator
CS16 Packer Dispatch Officer
CS17 Pick and Pack Operator
CS18 Production Manager
CS19 Production Planner Scheduler
CS20 Production Sample Coordinator
CS21 Quality Assurance Coordinator
CS22 Quality Control Inspector
CS23 Retail and Merchandising Coordinator
CS24 Retail Customer Service Assistant
CS25 Sewing Machine Technician
CS26 Social Media Content Creator
CS27 Storeperson
CS28 Supplier Quality Technical Compliance Auditor
CS29 Sustainability and Circular Economy Specialist
CS30 TCF E-Commerce Coordinator
CS31 Visual Merchandiser
CS32 Warehouse and Logistics Supervisor
CS33 Warehouse Inventory Controller
CS34 WHS Coordinator
CS35 Circular Economy and Repair Advocacy Lead
CS36 Area Regional Manager
CS37 Customer Service Officer
CS38 Procurement Supply Chain Specialist
CS39 Social Media Content Creator
CS40 Training and Standards Lead
CS41 Partnerships and Business Development Coordinator
CS42 Human Resources Workplace Health and Safety Coordinator
CS43 IT POS System Support Officer
CS44 Owner Operator Business Proprietor Workshop Owner Studio Director
CS45 Production Team Leader Line Leader
CS46 Production Shift Supervisor
CS47 Website Manager and Social Media Content Creator
CS48 Electrician
CS49 Maintenance Supervisor
CS50 Maintenance Technician
CS51 Quality Assurance Manager
CS52 Health, Safety and Environment Coordinator
CS53 Dispatch and Distribution Coordinator
CS54 Fleet Manager
CS55 Driver
CS56 Manager – Supply Chain and Procurement
CS57 Procurement Purchasing Officer
CS58 Sales Representative
CS59 Key Account Manager
CS60 Manager – Finance and Administration
CS61 Production Assistant
CS62 Logistics and Compliance Coordinator
CS63 Patternmaker Digital Patternmaker
CS64 Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Support Officer
CS65 Automation PLC Technician
CS66 Instrumentation Technician
CS67 Water Quality Technician
CS68 Process Chemist Leather Chemistry Specialist
CS69 Environmental Performance Planner
CS70 3D Printing Prototyping Operator
CS71 Automated Cutting Systems Operator
CS73 Warehouse Operator
CS74 Data and Process Improvement Analyst
CS75 CAD Technician
CS76 Research and Development Coordinator
CS77 SCADA Technician
CS78 Truck Driver
CS79 Weighbridge Operator
CS80 Supply Chain Export Coordinator
CS81 Laboratory Technician
CS82 Quality Systems and Traceability Coordinator
CS83 Materials Technologies Specialist
CS84 Industrial Sewing Machine Operator
CS85 Operations Coordinator
SSTRR01 Textile Sorter Grader
SSTRR02 Textile Sorting and Materials Recovery Operator
SSTRR03 Textile Recycling Operator
SSTRR04 Textile Recycling Team Leader
SSTRR05 Textile Remanufacturing Operator
SSTRR06 Textile Remanufacturing Team Leader
SSWOL01 Scour Plant Operator
SSWOL02 Process Worker Production Hand
SSWOL03 Carding Combing Technician
SSWOL04 Materials Handling Operator
SSWOL05 Wool Presser Baler
SSWOL06 Chemical Process Operator
SSWOL07 Wool Classer
SSWOL08 Yard Hand Cleaner
SSWOL09 Seasonal Labourer
TextileWorks, a part of ForestWorks, is providing support for the management of this JSC project as part of their collaborative partnership with Skills Insight. ForestWorks has an enduring and strong connection working with the forestry, timber, paper, fibre and furnishing industries and have been engaged by Skills Insight to deliver this project in partnership.