APICCAPS relaunches Knowledge Roadshow to connect Portuguese footwear industry with schools

The APICCAPS has relaunched its Knowledge Roadshow initiative for the third consecutive year, strengthening ties between Portugal’s footwear industry and the school community.

Integrated into the Bioshoes4all project and supported by Portugal’s Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR), the programme forms part of the Footwear Cluster Strategic Plan 2030. It comes at a time when the European fashion sector is expected to require approximately 500,000 new employees by the end of the decade, according to European Commission estimates.

Since 2024, the initiative has reached around 4,000 students across key footwear manufacturing hubs including Felgueiras, Guimarães, Oliveira de Azeméis, Santa Maria da Feira and São João da Madeira. Initially focused on primary school pupils, the programme has since expanded to lower secondary students, introducing themes such as the “factory of the future” and the technological and sustainable transformation of the sector.

APICCAPS President Luís Onofre said attracting highly qualified professionals is a priority as the footwear and leather goods sector advances towards greater innovation and sustainability. He added that closer collaboration with schools and municipalities is essential to challenge outdated perceptions of industrial careers.

The three-year Knowledge Roadshow underscores the Portuguese footwear industry’s efforts to promote young talent and prepare the sector for workforce demands through 2030.