Garment workers globally face potential widespread displacement due to the increase in automation. According to the International Labour Organization, sewing automation alone could displace 65 million workers globally. With women making up 75 percent of the global garment workforce, the bulk of the loss of jobs will be roles held by women.
Additionally, women in the garment industry often work in lower-tier roles, making them particularly vulnerable to displacement. When looking to find new jobs, women face challenges due to traditional gender roles and limited access to higher education acting as barriers for entry to higher-paying jobs within the garment sector and beyond.
To address this challenge, Shimmy Technologies, a women-owned social enterprise, was founded in 2016 to prepare women working in apparel supply chains for the future of work through upskilling and reskilling via digital, mobile and tablet-based training. Shimmy’s mobile-first training approach is more flexible than traditional, paper-based training curriculum, the latter which inadequately addresses the rapid changes in the market.
