The future of green skills for the manufacturing sector

The European Green Deal and the European Innovation Council (EIC) aim to drive sustainability in manufacturing. Industry 5.0 emphasises the integration of automation with green skills, highlighting their importance for sustainability. However, which manufacturing areas need green skills and which green skills are crucial in manufacturing remains unclear. This paper aims to fill these gaps, by performing a literature review and an analysis of the European Skills, Competences, Qualifications, and Occupations (ESCO) database. Results identify five critical areas: Product-Process Design, Big Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence, Supply Chain Management, Circular Economy, and Energy Management. These areas necessitate skills such as environmental impact assessment, waste management, data analysis, eco-design, and knowledge of renewable energy technologies. ESCO analysis indicates that 46.28% of 3008 occupations involve green skills, which are crucial for sustainable development. Targeted training programs are needed based on identified areas and skills. Interconnections among clusters and the importance of data analysis are highlighted. Additionally, in the near future manufacturing companies should attempt to develop broad, transversal skills integrated with digitalisation to meet an increasing demand for sustainability. Overall, the study provides insights into green skills development and their critical role in shaping the future of sustainable manufacturing.