Integrative skills framework for Industry 5.0: insights from a systematic literature review and a European survey study

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. Using the PRISMA methodology, a systematic literature review was conducted in the Scopus database covering 2018–2024 to identify the skills needed for the new industrial context. Industry and academic communities were also surveyed to assess both the importance of these skills and their current development in existing programs. The findings show that energy and waste management, sustainable product/service design, environmental and social impact evaluation, green thinking, data protection, adaptability, flexibility, crisis management, strategic thinking, change management, leadership and creativity are the most relevant skills. 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.