Welcome to

Building Regional Skills Partnerships for the Future of Textiles, Clothing, Leather & Footwear

ABOUT SKILLBRIDGE

TCLF SkillBridge is a European initiative funded under the Single Market Programme. Coordinated by EURATEX with the support of CEC (European Footwear Confederation) and COTANCE (European Leather Confederation), the project builds on the EU TCLF Pact for Skills launched in 2021.

Our mission is to establish and strengthen Regional Skills Partnerships (RSPs) across Europe in the textile, clothing, leather and footwear sectors. These partnerships bring together companies, education and training providers, and regional authorities to address urgent skills needs linked to the green and digital transitions.

Through mapping, regional workshops, peer learning and mobility programmes, and a dedicated Call for Services, SkillBridge supports SMEs to upskill and reskill their workforce. The ultimate goal is to transform these collaborations into formal regional skills partnerships under the Pact for Skills, ensuring long-term impact and sustainability.

MAIN OBJECTIVES OF TCLF SKILLBRIDGE

  1. Establish Regional Skills Partnerships (RSPs): Set up at least 8 multi-stakeholder RSPs in TCLF regions, aligned with the EU Pact for Skills.

  2. Support Regional Stakeholders: Provide tools, workshops, and guidance to help regions organise governance, define work programmes, and act.

  3. Fund targeted SME Actions: Launch a €500,000 Call for Services to support at least 10 projects delivering training, mentoring, mobility, and apprenticeships.

  4. Foster Collaboration: Promote peer learning, cross-regional exchanges, and networking to share best practices across Europe.

  5. Ensure Long-term Sustainability: Monitor progress, benchmark results, and develop sustainability plans and funding strategies for long-term impact.

📥 GUIDELINES FOR CALL FOR SERVICES

D2.1 Guideline Call Criteria v2 (3)_page-0001
The call launched on 23 September 2025, with applications open until 23 November 2025.

 The TCLF SkillBridge project, funded by the EU Single Market Programme, is working to strengthen the Textiles, Clothing, Leather and Footwear (TCLF) sectors by supporting the EU Pact for Skills. At the heart of this effort is the creation of Regional Skills Partnerships (RSPs), where local stakeholders join forces to tackle skills and education challenges in their territories.

The aim of this call for services is to put the Regional Skills Partnerships (RSPs) established under the TCLF SkillBridge project into practice by procuring services from them to design and deliver tailor-made services for SMEs in their region. The call supports services such as training and mentorship, generational knowledge transfer, development of guidelines and case studies, and preparation of sustainability plans.

To be eligible, tenderers must be based in a region where a Regional Skills Partnership is being developed under SkillBridge. They do not need to be part of the RSP governance, but their services should contribute to its objectives.
 
Tenderers are asked to complete the tender submission form (Annex of the guidelines) with details on the organisation, proposed services, target beneficiaries, budget, timeline, and SME selection process, and send it to pfs@euratex.eu by 23 November 2025.
 
The total budget available is €500,000. We expect to award at least 10 contracts, each up to €50,000.
 

THE PROJECT CONSORTIUM

The consortium is formed by EURATEX, CEC, and COTANCE, umbrella organisations representing the interests of the European Textile and Clothing, Footwear, and Leather industries, respectively. They engage in various activities to promote their industries’ competitiveness and sustainable growth, including research and innovation support, free and fair trade, and education and training.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.