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Knowledge Roadshow brings the footwear industry into schools for the third consecutive year

Mar 2, 2026 Portugal

For the third consecutive year, APICCAPS has relaunched its ‘Knowledge Roadshow’ initiative, further strengthening the connection between the footwear industry and the school community

The Portuguese Footwear, Components, Leather Goods Manufacturers’ Association (APICCAPS) is once again on the ground with the ‘Knowledge Roadshow’, an initiative integrated into the Bioshoes4all project and supported by the PRR, strengthening, for the third consecutive year, the connection between the footwear industry and the school community.

The initiative is part of the Footwear Cluster Strategic Plan 2030 and comes at a particularly challenging time for the European fashion industry, which is expected to require around 500,000 new employees by the end of the decade, according to data from the European Commission. The diagnosis cuts across several sectors and particularly affects countries such as Spain, France, Italy, and Portugal.

Since 2024, APICCAPS has promoted initiatives in dozens of schools located in the main footwear manufacturing hubs – Felgueiras, Guimarães, Oliveira de Azeméis, Santa Maria da Feira, and São João da Madeira – involving around four thousand students.

In an initial phase, the initiatives targeted primary school students, with the aim of showcasing the potential of the footwear industry, promoting the value of the region and local activities, and boosting regional industry. The program was later extended to lower secondary students, introducing the concept of the “factory of the future” and the new skills required by a sector that is increasingly technological, sustainable, and innovation-driven.

“As the footwear and leather goods sector moves to new levels of excellence, hiring highly qualified professionals is a priority”, says Luís Onofre, President of APICCAPS. He also stresses that stereotypes associated with industrial sectors persist and must be challenged, advocating closer engagement with schools and local communities. He further highlighted the decisive role of municipalities in regions where the footwear industry has a strong presence.

With an initial duration of three years, the “Knowledge Roadshow” reinforces the sector’s commitment to education, the promotion of young talent, and the preparation of the Portuguese industry for the challenges of 2030.

Source and Image Credits: portugueseshoes.pt

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