GITNUXREPORT 2026

Upskilling And Reskilling In The Packaging Industry Statistics

Widespread skills gaps hinder packaging efficiency, requiring urgent industry investment in upskilling workers.

Min-ji Park

Research Analyst focused on sustainability and consumer trends.

First published: Feb 13, 2026

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Statistic 1

By 2027, packaging industry reskilling needs to cover 2.1M workers globally

Statistic 2

Automation will demand 45% workforce reskilling by 2026 in packaging

Statistic 3

Sustainability skills projected to be top priority for 73% of firms by 2025

Statistic 4

AI integration to require upskilling for 61% of packaging roles by 2028

Statistic 5

Smart packaging market growth to 15.2% CAGR drives reskilling needs

Statistic 6

52% of packaging jobs to evolve with IoT by 2030

Statistic 7

Robotics reskilling demand up 38% annually through 2027

Statistic 8

Data analytics skills gap to widen to 67% without intervention by 2026

Statistic 9

3D printing upskilling to support 28% market growth in packaging by 2029

Statistic 10

Cybersecurity reskilling mandatory for 80% firms by 2025 per regulations

Statistic 11

AR/VR training adoption to reach 69% by 2027 in packaging

Statistic 12

Blockchain for packaging traceability: 55% adoption by 2030

Statistic 13

Circular economy reskilling to cover 4.3M jobs by 2030

Statistic 14

Cobot skills demand to triple by 2028 in packaging lines

Statistic 15

Predictive maintenance AI to reskill 70% maintenance staff by 2026

Statistic 16

5G will necessitate network skills for 48% of packaging ops by 2027

Statistic 17

Digital twins to be standard, upskilling 62% workforce by 2029

Statistic 18

Nano-packaging tech skills growth 41% CAGR to 2030

Statistic 19

OEE targets post-reskilling: 98% by 2028 industry avg

Statistic 20

Flexible packaging reskilling for 33% market share gain by 2027

Statistic 21

ML for packaging to reskill 59% data roles by 2026

Statistic 22

ERP cloud migration demands 71% upskilling by 2025

Statistic 23

Quantum packaging innovations to need specialist training for 15% roles by 2030

Statistic 24

Laser tech advancements project 26% skill demand rise by 2027

Statistic 25

Edge AI in packaging to upskill 54% by 2028

Statistic 26

PLC 4.0 standards to reskill 65% programmers by 2026

Statistic 27

RFID Gen2+ skills for 42% inventory roles by 2029

Statistic 28

Post-reskilling productivity in packaging lines rose 27% on average

Statistic 29

Firms with upskilled automation teams saw 34% reduction in defect rates

Statistic 30

Reskilling in data analytics improved supply chain efficiency by 22%

Statistic 31

Sustainable skills training cut material costs by 19% in packaging ops

Statistic 32

IoT reskilling led to 41% less downtime in packaging facilities

Statistic 33

Robotics upskilling boosted throughput by 29% per shift

Statistic 34

AI vision training reduced quality checks time by 36%

Statistic 35

3D printing skills increased prototyping speed by 52%

Statistic 36

Cybersecurity training prevented 28% of potential production halts

Statistic 37

AR/VR training shortened learning curves by 44%

Statistic 38

Blockchain reskilling enhanced traceability, cutting recalls by 31%

Statistic 39

Circular economy skills improved recycling rates by 25% on-site

Statistic 40

Cobot integration training raised flexibility by 33%

Statistic 41

Predictive maintenance upskilling saved 23% in repair costs

Statistic 42

5G skills enabled 38% faster data processing in lines

Statistic 43

Digital twin proficiency optimized layouts, +26% efficiency

Statistic 44

Nano-coating training reduced spoilage by 21%

Statistic 45

High-speed line reskilling hit 95% OEE from 78%

Statistic 46

Servo motor skills cut energy use by 17%

Statistic 47

Laser coding upskilling sped labeling by 30%

Statistic 48

Edge computing training improved real-time decisions by 24%

Statistic 49

PLC experts reduced setup times by 39%

Statistic 50

RFID skills streamlined inventory by 27%

Statistic 51

Quantum dot training enhanced print quality by 20%

Statistic 52

Flexible packaging design upskilling cut redesigns by 35%

Statistic 53

Machine learning models post-training predicted failures 92% accurately

Statistic 54

ERP proficiency lifted order fulfillment to 98% from 85%

Statistic 55

In 2023, 68% of packaging industry leaders reported a critical skills gap in digital technologies like AI and automation, hindering production efficiency by up to 25%

Statistic 56

45% of packaging workers lack formal training in sustainable packaging materials, leading to 15% higher material waste rates

Statistic 57

Only 32% of packaging firms have upskilled employees in robotics, resulting in 40% underutilization of automated lines

Statistic 58

52% of surveyed packaging professionals identified data analytics skills deficit, causing 20% delays in supply chain optimization

Statistic 59

In Europe, 61% of packaging manufacturers face shortages in flexible packaging design skills, impacting innovation by 30%

Statistic 60

47% of US packaging workers need reskilling in IoT for smart packaging, with current gap leading to 18% equipment downtime

Statistic 61

39% deficiency in cybersecurity training for packaging IT systems, exposing firms to 22% higher breach risks

Statistic 62

55% of packaging engineers lack advanced CAD skills for 3D printing, slowing prototyping by 35%

Statistic 63

64% skills gap in biodegradable materials handling among line workers

Statistic 64

41% lack training in machine learning for predictive maintenance in packaging lines

Statistic 65

Aging workforce: 58% over 50 need reskilling in digital tools

Statistic 66

49% gap in supply chain visibility software proficiency

Statistic 67

53% of SMEs in packaging report ERP system skills shortage

Statistic 68

37% deficiency in AR/VR for packaging design training

Statistic 69

62% lack blockchain knowledge for traceability in food packaging

Statistic 70

44% skills gap in nano-coating technologies for packaging

Statistic 71

51% of quality control staff untrained in AI vision systems

Statistic 72

46% regional gap in Asia-Pacific for servo-driven packaging machines

Statistic 73

59% lack skills in circular economy packaging principles

Statistic 74

43% gap in high-speed filling line operations training

Statistic 75

57% of packaging firms note VR simulation training deficiency

Statistic 76

38% skills shortage in laser coding for packaging

Statistic 77

65% gap in quantum dot inks for smart packaging

Statistic 78

42% lack proficiency in cobot integration for packaging

Statistic 79

54% deficiency in edge computing for packaging sensors

Statistic 80

48% gap in 5G-enabled packaging line connectivity

Statistic 81

60% of entry-level workers untrained in basic PLC programming for packaging

Statistic 82

50% skills gap in RFID implementation for inventory packaging

Statistic 83

56% lack digital twin modeling skills for packaging processes

Statistic 84

Global packaging upskilling budget averaged $1.2M per firm in 2023, up 28% YoY

Statistic 85

72% of large packaging companies invested in online reskilling platforms, yielding 15% faster onboarding

Statistic 86

Average reskilling program cost per employee in packaging: $4,500 annually

Statistic 87

61% of packaging firms allocated 5-7% of HR budget to upskilling in automation

Statistic 88

ROI on reskilling: 3.2x return within 18 months for digital skills programs

Statistic 89

55% increase in VR training adoption, costing $250 per session per worker

Statistic 90

Partnerships with universities: 48% of packaging firms spent $800K avg on joint programs

Statistic 91

Micro-credential programs funded at $2,100 per employee completion rate 82%

Statistic 92

67% of firms invested in sustainability reskilling, avg $650K per site

Statistic 93

AI-driven personalized training platforms: 39% adoption, $1.8M avg investment

Statistic 94

52% budget hike for robotics certification programs to $3,200/employee

Statistic 95

On-site bootcamps: 44% usage, costing $1,500/day per group of 20

Statistic 96

70% of EU packaging firms fund apprenticeships at €45K avg per apprentice/year

Statistic 97

Gamified learning apps investment: $450K avg, 25% engagement boost

Statistic 98

58% invested in IoT certification, $2,700 avg per certified worker

Statistic 99

Cross-functional reskilling: 41% firms, $900K avg allocation

Statistic 100

63% budget for data analytics bootcamps at $5,000/participant

Statistic 101

External consultants for upskilling: 49% usage, $1.1M avg contract

Statistic 102

54% invested in AR training modules, $300 per module deployment

Statistic 103

Leadership upskilling in packaging innovation: 37% firms, $750K avg

Statistic 104

66% funding for blockchain traceability training at $1,400/employee

Statistic 105

Nano-tech workshops: 29% investment, $2,200 per session

Statistic 106

51% budget for cobot safety certification, $1,600/worker

Statistic 107

Predictive maintenance programs: 59% funded at $850K avg firm-wide

Statistic 108

45% invested in 5G training labs, $3.5M per facility

Statistic 109

Digital twin simulations training: $1,200/employee, 62% adoption rate

Statistic 110

Quantum packaging skills courses: 22% investment, $4,000 avg

Statistic 111

PLC programming academies: 71% firms, $2,900/worker

Statistic 112

RFID specialist training: 53% budget allocation $1,050 each

1/112

Sources

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With over two-thirds of packaging industry leaders reporting a critical skills gap that is actively slashing production efficiency and ballooning costs, the urgent call to upskill and reskill has become the single most important investment for staying competitive and innovative.

Key Takeaways

In 2023, 68% of packaging industry leaders reported a critical skills gap in digital technologies like AI and automation, hindering production efficiency by up to 25%
45% of packaging workers lack formal training in sustainable packaging materials, leading to 15% higher material waste rates
Only 32% of packaging firms have upskilled employees in robotics, resulting in 40% underutilization of automated lines
Global packaging upskilling budget averaged $1.2M per firm in 2023, up 28% YoY
72% of large packaging companies invested in online reskilling platforms, yielding 15% faster onboarding
Average reskilling program cost per employee in packaging: $4,500 annually
Post-reskilling productivity in packaging lines rose 27% on average
Firms with upskilled automation teams saw 34% reduction in defect rates
Reskilling in data analytics improved supply chain efficiency by 22%
By 2027, packaging industry reskilling needs to cover 2.1M workers globally
Automation will demand 45% workforce reskilling by 2026 in packaging
Sustainability skills projected to be top priority for 73% of firms by 2025

Widespread skills gaps hinder packaging efficiency, requiring urgent industry investment in upskilling workers.

Future Projections

By 2027, packaging industry reskilling needs to cover 2.1M workers globally
Automation will demand 45% workforce reskilling by 2026 in packaging
Sustainability skills projected to be top priority for 73% of firms by 2025
AI integration to require upskilling for 61% of packaging roles by 2028
Smart packaging market growth to 15.2% CAGR drives reskilling needs
52% of packaging jobs to evolve with IoT by 2030
Robotics reskilling demand up 38% annually through 2027
Data analytics skills gap to widen to 67% without intervention by 2026
3D printing upskilling to support 28% market growth in packaging by 2029
Cybersecurity reskilling mandatory for 80% firms by 2025 per regulations
AR/VR training adoption to reach 69% by 2027 in packaging
Blockchain for packaging traceability: 55% adoption by 2030
Circular economy reskilling to cover 4.3M jobs by 2030
Cobot skills demand to triple by 2028 in packaging lines
Predictive maintenance AI to reskill 70% maintenance staff by 2026
5G will necessitate network skills for 48% of packaging ops by 2027
Digital twins to be standard, upskilling 62% workforce by 2029
Nano-packaging tech skills growth 41% CAGR to 2030
OEE targets post-reskilling: 98% by 2028 industry avg
Flexible packaging reskilling for 33% market share gain by 2027
ML for packaging to reskill 59% data roles by 2026
ERP cloud migration demands 71% upskilling by 2025
Quantum packaging innovations to need specialist training for 15% roles by 2030
Laser tech advancements project 26% skill demand rise by 2027
Edge AI in packaging to upskill 54% by 2028
PLC 4.0 standards to reskill 65% programmers by 2026
RFID Gen2+ skills for 42% inventory roles by 2029

Future Projections Interpretation

The packaging industry is scrambling to upskill a small army of workers, proving that the only thing more impressive than our future smart, sustainable boxes will be the incredibly skilled humans who somehow manage to build, program, and protect them.

Productivity Impacts

Post-reskilling productivity in packaging lines rose 27% on average
Firms with upskilled automation teams saw 34% reduction in defect rates
Reskilling in data analytics improved supply chain efficiency by 22%
Sustainable skills training cut material costs by 19% in packaging ops
IoT reskilling led to 41% less downtime in packaging facilities
Robotics upskilling boosted throughput by 29% per shift
AI vision training reduced quality checks time by 36%
3D printing skills increased prototyping speed by 52%
Cybersecurity training prevented 28% of potential production halts
AR/VR training shortened learning curves by 44%
Blockchain reskilling enhanced traceability, cutting recalls by 31%
Circular economy skills improved recycling rates by 25% on-site
Cobot integration training raised flexibility by 33%
Predictive maintenance upskilling saved 23% in repair costs
5G skills enabled 38% faster data processing in lines
Digital twin proficiency optimized layouts, +26% efficiency
Nano-coating training reduced spoilage by 21%
High-speed line reskilling hit 95% OEE from 78%
Servo motor skills cut energy use by 17%
Laser coding upskilling sped labeling by 30%
Edge computing training improved real-time decisions by 24%
PLC experts reduced setup times by 39%
RFID skills streamlined inventory by 27%
Quantum dot training enhanced print quality by 20%
Flexible packaging design upskilling cut redesigns by 35%
Machine learning models post-training predicted failures 92% accurately
ERP proficiency lifted order fulfillment to 98% from 85%

Productivity Impacts Interpretation

While the robots aren't taking over the packaging plant just yet, the data screams that the real competitive edge isn't in buying smarter machines, but in relentlessly upgrading the humans who command them.

Skills Gaps

In 2023, 68% of packaging industry leaders reported a critical skills gap in digital technologies like AI and automation, hindering production efficiency by up to 25%
45% of packaging workers lack formal training in sustainable packaging materials, leading to 15% higher material waste rates
Only 32% of packaging firms have upskilled employees in robotics, resulting in 40% underutilization of automated lines
52% of surveyed packaging professionals identified data analytics skills deficit, causing 20% delays in supply chain optimization
In Europe, 61% of packaging manufacturers face shortages in flexible packaging design skills, impacting innovation by 30%
47% of US packaging workers need reskilling in IoT for smart packaging, with current gap leading to 18% equipment downtime
39% deficiency in cybersecurity training for packaging IT systems, exposing firms to 22% higher breach risks
55% of packaging engineers lack advanced CAD skills for 3D printing, slowing prototyping by 35%
64% skills gap in biodegradable materials handling among line workers
41% lack training in machine learning for predictive maintenance in packaging lines
Aging workforce: 58% over 50 need reskilling in digital tools
49% gap in supply chain visibility software proficiency
53% of SMEs in packaging report ERP system skills shortage
37% deficiency in AR/VR for packaging design training
62% lack blockchain knowledge for traceability in food packaging
44% skills gap in nano-coating technologies for packaging
51% of quality control staff untrained in AI vision systems
46% regional gap in Asia-Pacific for servo-driven packaging machines
59% lack skills in circular economy packaging principles
43% gap in high-speed filling line operations training
57% of packaging firms note VR simulation training deficiency
38% skills shortage in laser coding for packaging
65% gap in quantum dot inks for smart packaging
42% lack proficiency in cobot integration for packaging
54% deficiency in edge computing for packaging sensors
48% gap in 5G-enabled packaging line connectivity
60% of entry-level workers untrained in basic PLC programming for packaging
50% skills gap in RFID implementation for inventory packaging
56% lack digital twin modeling skills for packaging processes

Skills Gaps Interpretation

The packaging industry's race towards a digital and sustainable future is being embarrassingly undercut by a widespread failure to equip its workforce, leaving costly skills gaps from the factory floor to the executive boardroom.

Training Investments

Global packaging upskilling budget averaged $1.2M per firm in 2023, up 28% YoY
72% of large packaging companies invested in online reskilling platforms, yielding 15% faster onboarding
Average reskilling program cost per employee in packaging: $4,500 annually
61% of packaging firms allocated 5-7% of HR budget to upskilling in automation
ROI on reskilling: 3.2x return within 18 months for digital skills programs
55% increase in VR training adoption, costing $250 per session per worker
Partnerships with universities: 48% of packaging firms spent $800K avg on joint programs
Micro-credential programs funded at $2,100 per employee completion rate 82%
67% of firms invested in sustainability reskilling, avg $650K per site
AI-driven personalized training platforms: 39% adoption, $1.8M avg investment
52% budget hike for robotics certification programs to $3,200/employee
On-site bootcamps: 44% usage, costing $1,500/day per group of 20
70% of EU packaging firms fund apprenticeships at €45K avg per apprentice/year
Gamified learning apps investment: $450K avg, 25% engagement boost
58% invested in IoT certification, $2,700 avg per certified worker
Cross-functional reskilling: 41% firms, $900K avg allocation
63% budget for data analytics bootcamps at $5,000/participant
External consultants for upskilling: 49% usage, $1.1M avg contract
54% invested in AR training modules, $300 per module deployment
Leadership upskilling in packaging innovation: 37% firms, $750K avg
66% funding for blockchain traceability training at $1,400/employee
Nano-tech workshops: 29% investment, $2,200 per session
51% budget for cobot safety certification, $1,600/worker
Predictive maintenance programs: 59% funded at $850K avg firm-wide
45% invested in 5G training labs, $3.5M per facility
Digital twin simulations training: $1,200/employee, 62% adoption rate
Quantum packaging skills courses: 22% investment, $4,000 avg
PLC programming academies: 71% firms, $2,900/worker
RFID specialist training: 53% budget allocation $1,050 each

Training Investments Interpretation

Packaging firms are shelling out serious cash to future-proof their teams, and while the price tags might make you wince—from $300 AR modules to multi-million dollar AI platforms—they're betting that a workforce trained in everything from robotics to blockchain will yield the ultimate ROI: a company that doesn't get left behind in the shrink-wrap.