Questions & answers

We give you a few options of jobsites from the Belgian fashion and apparel industry. Click here.

Check also the webinar ‘the ten most common jobs in the industry’.

In Belgium there are about 2,000 companies and 12,000 employees working in the fashion and clothing industry.

These are manufacturers of clothing or other manufactured apparel articles. Converters, which buy and adapt products, are also part of this industry.
Approximately 60% of the companies are in the fashion sector. Of course, we’re not just talking about the big players, who depend on the mass production of clothing. Our industry is also known for its strengths in the field of workwear (catering, hospitals, SNCB…). In the other manufactured articles we find: blinds, curtains, parasols, car seats, bed linen, parachutes, filters, tarpaulins, flags, mattresses, …

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Are you looking for a fashion education? There are many possibilities: bachelors, masters, teacher training, workshops, … and both full-time and part-time. You can find all fashion courses at www.modeopleidingen.be.

IVOC, the organisation of which Young Patterns is part, also organises many free training courses for employees in the Belgian fashion and apparel industry. It concerns employees in Joint Committees 109 and 215.

But others, like you, can participate free of charge or at a fee under certain conditions:

For jobseekers there are 3 conditions for free participation:

• Upload your CV
• 10 calendar days before the start of a training course, places are still available
• One can follow a maximum of 7 training days / year free of charge

The calendar of training courses covers just about all the competencies one needs in all departments of a fashion company:

• fashion-apparel-textiles
• personal skills
• communication
• languages
• commercial
• quality
• HR
• financial
• logistics

Check the calender here.

It is best to register as a jobseeker at VDAB (for Flanders) & Forem (for Wallonia) as soon as possible. If you graduate at the end of June or in July, register before 10 August and your waiting period will start as early as 1 August. If you register later than 10 August, the waiting period will also start later.

You can register yourself as a jobseeker online via the website of VDAB or Forem, where you can create an account and follow the requested steps. You can also go to a VDAB agency near you or call them.

Not unimportant to mention that if you are planning a longer trip after your studies, it is best to wait after your return to register. Because as soon as you are registered, you are expected to actively look for a job and that includes a few appointments. If you are travelling, you will not be able to keep those appointments and your waiting time may be extended.

If, after the waiting period of 310 days, you still haven’t found a job and at that moment you are under 25 years old, you can apply for a benefit.

Also check the webinar ‘praktische zaken voor je begin te werken’ for more info. – only in Dutch.

Actually, you can’t. As soon as you graduate and you no longer have any obligations to your school, you are not allowed to do a student job. But there is one exception: if you graduate in June or in July/August, you can still work as a student until 30 September of that year.

And you may also be registered as a jobseeker.

Check www.vdab.be for Flanders or www.forem.be for Wallonia for all latest news concerning this topic.

Here are a few tips, although for socio-legal issues we prefer to refer to other bodies such as the training institution or the VDAB or Forem.

• You want to combine studying with a job as a self-employed person?

This is possible as a ‘self-employed person in a secondary occupation’ under certain conditions.  Here all info for Flanders https://www.vlaio.be/nl/begeleiding-advies/start/sociale-zekerheid-bij-ondernemers/statuut-van-student-zelfstandige

• You want to combine studies at a college or university with working?

This exists in the form of ‘flexible learning’. All info for Flanders https://onderwijs.vlaanderen.be/nl/flexibel-studeren

For HoGent (direction ModeTechnologie) there is specific info:
https://www.hogent.be/student/wegwijs-hoger-onderwijs/bijzonder-statuut/

• You want to follow a course through a training institute such as Syntra and work part-time.

Either you remain enrolled as a student and inform the educational institute that a job can be combined with the course. Please note: as a student, you may only work a limited number of hours or your parents will lose the child allowance. This amounts to 475 working hours per year, but these are often adjusted, so it is best to check with the child benefit fund for exact figures.

If this maximum number of working hours has been used up, there also exists ‘working student’. You can find the difference here https://www.mysocialsecurity.be/student/nl/over-studentenarbeid/jobstudent-werkstudent-verschil.html.
Also make sure that you can be insured with the employer in question while you are still enrolled as a student.
Or register at VDAB or Forem as a jobseeker. Restrictions on working hours also apply there.

You can seek advice from VDAB itself. On 0800 80 700 you can contact e-coaches for all your questions.

• Young Patterns can drop by for an explanation of the service or about the different companies/jobs in the industry. Make your request via contact@youngpatterns.be
• Organize an expedition with final year students of secondary school.
  The expedition is for final year students from a fashion school of the Secondary Education and consists of workshops, based on activities that take place in a company. Through an expedition your students get acquainted with the jobs in the sector. They go on a working visit in a company for one day.
  During these workshops we quickly notice what the students are up to and who could function in the company. In short, a hidden way of applying for jobs.
  Would you like to take part in an expedition with your final year students? Let us know: contact@youngpatterns.be

Young Patterns offers support.

The ageing of the population has been noticeable in the sector for several years now. Of the 12,000 employees in the fashion and apparel industry, only 4% are under 26 years of age. The empty places are filled too little by new young talents. Now is more than ever the time to open the doors of your company to the new generation.

Young Patterns, IVOC‘s youth project, wants to support you in this.

It is necessary to pay attention to the image of your company, extra training, guidance and internship opportunities. Companies need to open up to the values and vision of young people if they want to attract them as new workers. These young talents are looking for a workplace with enough variety, challenge, involvement, growth opportunities, respect for each other and our planet.

What does Young Patterns offer companies?

• Presentation of generation Y & Z and their values
• Coaching in youth policy
• Financial support for coaching young people
• Participation with your company in an expedition for students or jobseekers
• Making contact with young people
• Internships
• Needle Up – the platform where young people upload their CV and where you can find them as a company.

Please contact us for additional guidance. contact@youngpatterns.be