Portuguese shoemaking initiative taken into schools

The aim of the programme is to attract a new generation of talent.

The Portuguese Footwear, Components and Leather Goods Manufacturers’ Association (APICCAPS) has announced that its ‘Knowledge Roadmap’ initiative, designed to raise awareness of the shoemaking industry among school students and prepare the next generation of talent, has reached almost 3,000 students during the past two years.

The programme has concentrated on Felgueiras, Guimarães, Oliveira de Azeméis, Santa Maria da Feira and São João da Madeira – the main hubs for the Portuguese footwear industry.

“As the footwear and leather goods sectors evolve toward new levels of excellence, hiring highly qualified professionals is a priority,” stated Luís Onofre, president of APICCAPS. “There are still many stereotypes in society about industrial sectors that need to be debunked. While this is not a problem exclusive to Portugal, it requires close work with communities,” he added.

According to the association, the European fashion industry will need 500,000 new employees by 2030. The body also points out that research published by the European Commission suggests that this shortage could affect a number of different manufacturing sectors, particularly in France, Italy, Portugal and Spain.

Among the issues being discussed by primary school children and older students as part of the Knowledge Roadmap programme are ‘overconsumption and the importance of the choices we make every day that affect the planet’, ‘the primacy of social responsibility and sustainability’, ‘support for the local economy’, ‘the materials of the future’, and ‘the significance of the footwear industry in Portugal’.

Publishing Data

This article was originally published on page 2 of the July/August 2025 issue of SATRA Bulletin.

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