VF-backed scheme upskills workers in the face of automation
05/03/2024
According to the International Labour Organisation, sewing automation could displace 65 million workers, with women making up 75% of the garment workforce.
Women in the garment industry often work in lower-tier roles, such as helpers and sewing machine operators, making them particularly vulnerable to displacement.
Shimmy Technologies was founded in 2016 to prepare women working in apparel supply chains for the future of work through upskilling via digital and mobile-based training.
In addition, it carried out a research project to identify machines used in factories. This helped it create a demand curve for machine-based skills, which informed the content of the training programmes to align with the needs of employers.
VF backed its pilot programme in 2022. Of the 500 people who went through the training, 452 were women, and 55% were employed in the supply chain within six months.
VF said the growing partnership with Shimmy drives a shared vision to ensure a more equitable future for women in the apparel industry.
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