Further training in textile care: specialist seminars and qualification programmes

When handling textiles, you need to know what you are doing. Different fibres, for example, cannot be mixed at will, yarns cannot be processed into a fabric indiscriminately, and not all textiles can be dyed or finished using identical methods. Naturally, there is also no universal procedure for caring for a silk blouse, a firefighter’s uniform or hotel linen. Yet although all processes of textile manufacturing and processing are interconnected, a holistic view of the entire value chain is not part of any curriculum. Therefore, in most production companies, the processes of a laundry and the related requirements for the goods are not known. Conversely, textile care companies often lack knowledge about the manufacturing and processing of fibres, yarns and fabrics. Fortunately, these knowledge gaps can be closed. Specialist seminars, in which practical knowledge is taught in companies or laboratories, and online learning platforms that provide content around the clock make this possible. Online portals have another advantage: as soon as the content is available in different languages, employees who are not yet proficient in the employer’s national language can more easily acquire the necessary know-how.

Many training modules supported by regional or European funding programmes pursue the idea of awakening interest and understanding for the wonders of the textile world. However, there are also economic reasons behind them. Training and further education programmes are intended to help combat the shortage of skilled workers, which has negative effects on the companies concerned: it hinders innovation, reduces efficiency and impairs growth. A good training programme can help mitigate these effects. It can assist in qualifying career changers as skilled workers and in developing skilled workers into experts. It can make it easier for unemployed people to enter a new working environment and, more generally, inspire more people to become enthusiastic about the industry. That is what makes the courses, training sessions and seminars so important. The following selection provides a brief insight into specific learning and training opportunities for textile care and textile manufacturing.