Towards future jobs in the textile industry: opportunities and challenges of Operator 5.0

Shah Md. Maruf Hasan

https://orcid.org/0009-0001-4596-938X

Bangladesh

Bangladesh University of Textiles image/svg+xml


Department of Apparel Engineerin

Md. Nahid-Ull-Islam

https://orcid.org/0009-0005-5464-2492

Bangladesh

Bangladesh University of Textiles image/svg+xml

Department of Apparel Engineering

Abdul Mahadin Labid

https://orcid.org/0009-0008-5857-1822

Bangladesh

Bangladesh University of Textiles image/svg+xml

Department of Apparel Engineering

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Accepted: 2026-04-07

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Published: 2026-06-03

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4995/ijpme.2026.24522
Funding Data

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Keywords:

Operator 5.0, textile industry, human-robot collaboration, automation, sustainability, resilient

Supporting agencies:

This research was not funded

Abstract:

The study focuses on the future job opportunity in the textile industry by implementing Operator 5.0. Due to the rise of concepts like Society 5.0 and Industry 5.0, there is a paradigm shift of employment in the textile industry. The technologies enabled by these concepts require an overhaul of skills and responsibilities of worker, creating novel jobs in the textile industry. Based on the aforementioned concepts, the study observes the concept of Operator 5.0 to identify the future of job opportunity in the textile industry. The study presents a conceptual framework for implementing Operator 5.0 in the textile industry based on its core value and enabled technologies. The framework indicates that implementing Operator 5.0 in the textile industry can ensure worker welfare, sustainable, and resilient workplace. However, the study also emphasizes issues of multi interactive workplaces, diverse societal obstacles, policies, and the necessity of evaluating environmental and social impact during the implementation of Operator 5.0. The study suggests a holistic approach to implementing Operator 5.0 in the textile industry by government rules, incentives and collaborating with innovation centres

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