Integrative skills framework for Industry 5.0

The economical and societal context calls for a transition towards environmental sustainability alongside resilience and human centricity, the three pillars of Industry 5.0, and developing human capital to guide this transition is becoming fundamental. Considering the Industry 5.0 framework, this study aims at identifying the essential and critical skills for a better sustainable management.

The findings of the present study demonstrate that the most relevant competencies are those related to energy and waste management, sustainable product and service design, environmental and social impact evaluation, green thinking, data protection, adaptability, flexibility, crisis management, strategic thinking, change management, leadership and creativity. The study also reveals effective skill combinations that can be taught together for optimal results. This work can guide higher education institutions in developing student programs and help manufacturing companies design training programs to strengthen their workforce, maintain competitiveness in the I5.0 era, and improve their sustainability performance.

The full text of the paper is available on the Journal of Environmental Management website.