FEA - VEA

Plovdiv Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) is a project partner and the Work Package Leader for the Legislative Reform Initiative under the FEA-VEE project (Fashion Earth Alliance – Vocational Excellence and Enterprise united for training, policy reform and sustainability in the fashion, textiles and apparel industries).

The project aims to address the growing need to upskill the workforce in the Textile and Fashion sector during the transition to a greener and more sustainable industry. Its main objectives are:

• To encourage more young people to pursue careers in the Textile and Fashion sector, thereby contributing to the development of a skilled and competitive workforce that meets the demands of the 21st century. This will be achieved through workplace-based learning and internship/apprenticeship opportunities in real businesses within the industry.
• To support the development of greener, more circular, and sustainable business models while promoting more ethical business practices. SME owners and their employees are expected to develop stronger competencies in sustainable fashion to drive the sector’s green transition. These competencies should be acquired during both vocational and higher education.

Project Consortium

The consortium brings together a diverse partnership that enables collaboration and knowledge exchange between vocational education and training (VET) providers at different levels and representatives of the fashion industry.

To achieve its objectives, the project will establish a network of Regional Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVEs) consisting of:

• Vocational Education and Training (VET) providers;
• Industry representatives (chambers of commerce, associations, companies, business support organisations, and other stakeholders).

These Regional Centres of Vocational Excellence will collaborate at both regional and international levels.

Services and Project Outputs

Online Platform for Transnational Cooperation

An online platform will be developed to facilitate transnational cooperation. It will serve as a collaborative working environment and information hub for stakeholders from the fashion industry.

Teaching and Training

The consortium will develop training programmes and assessment methodologies tailored to each target group, based on a comprehensive assessment of the actual needs of businesses and end users.

Industry Collaboration

To ensure that project activities remain relevant to the business environment and the needs of companies in the fashion sector, the consortium will engage directly with industry representatives through surveys, interviews, internships, and initiatives aimed at proposing legislative improvements.

Policy Reform Support

Throughout the project, a series of reports will be produced to support legislative reforms in areas directly related to the project’s objectives, including labour market challenges, environmental requirements, and opportunities for green business and sustainable entrepreneurship.

Project Duration

The project has a duration of 48 months, starting on 1 June 2022 and scheduled to conclude on 31 May 2026.

The project is co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme.

Project Partners

• Technical Institute of Heraklion Chamber (Greece) – A vocational education and training provider operating under the Heraklion Chamber of Commerce and Industry, offering professional training and workforce development.
• Fthiotida Chamber (Greece) – A regional chamber supporting businesses through advisory services, training, and international cooperation.
• AKMI S.A. (Greece) – Greece’s largest provider of vocational education and training, including programmes in fashion and beauty.
• Barcelona Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Services and Navigation (Spain) – A multisector chamber supporting SMEs and entrepreneurs in the fields of fashion, trade, and textiles.
• Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) (Spain) – A leading technical university in Barcelona specialising in engineering, architecture, and technology.
• Bulgarian Fashion Association (Bulgaria) – A cluster organisation supporting the integration of the Bulgarian fashion industry into the European value chain.
• Plovdiv Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Bulgaria) – A leading business support organisation serving the South Central Region of Bulgaria.
• Romanian Fashion Council (Romania) – A non-governmental organisation organising fashion events and connecting designers, manufacturers, and educational institutions.
• University of Art and Design Cluj-Napoca (Romania) – A public university specialising in art and design education.
• ITKAM – Italian Chamber of Commerce for Germany – A bilateral organisation promoting economic relations between Italy and Germany.
• Netzwerk Deutscher Mode- und Textildesigner e.V. (VDMD) (Germany) – A German network connecting fashion and textile designers with industry, education, and business.
• Sensus Study Association (Sweden) – A Swedish educational association supporting lifelong learning, community education, and networking initiatives.