Voices from the Factory Floor: Aligning Fashion Education with Regional Manufacturing Needs
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Abstract
The digital transformation of the global textile and apparel manufacturing industry has reshaped the skill requirements of the labor market; however, a significant skills mismatch persists between current higher fashion education systems and the imperatives of regional manufacturing upgrading. This study aims to accurately identify specific industry expectations and competency gaps by eliciting direct empirical feedback from the frontline of regional manufacturing enterprises. Adopting a qualitative research design, the study utilizes thematic analysis to systematically code and analyze field transcripts from regional apparel industry symposia. The findings reveal four core dimensions of competency shortages facing manufacturing firms: a lack of systems engineering and process standardization capabilities; a deficit in flexible production and global supply chain restructuring skills; a disconnect in omnichannel digital marketing and cost control proficiencies; and the exclusionary effect of the regional manufacturing environment on core technical talent. The results suggest that the current pedagogical paradigm, which overemphasizes artistic expression, has become increasingly inadequate in meeting the practical demands of modern intelligent manufacturing and complex business transformations. To bridge the industry-education gap, this study proposes a curriculum restructuring framework grounded in the logic of “industry-education co-creation,” emphasizing the integration of authentic factory technical documentation into educational assessments and the establishment of intensive local work-based learning modules. From a micro-empirical perspective, this research provides an objective evidence base for local higher education institutions to accurately align with industrial needs and optimize regional talent supply structures.
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