A lack of trained workers may be one of the biggest obstacles to adopting circular economy practices, according to a survey of more than 100 industry experts involved in sustainability initiatives published in the International Journal of Product Lifecycle Management.
The study found that companies face not only technological and financial challenges, but also skills shortages among their staff. The researchers say this has implications for education providers as businesses seek workers capable of managing environmental and digital transformation.
The concept of the circular economy aims to keep products and materials in use for longer through repair, reuse, remanufacturing, and recycling. This ultimately reduces waste and resource consumption. Increasingly, these activities rely on fairly novel technologies, such as advanced data analysis, internet of things devices, and even artificial intelligence (AI). These all feed into “circular” product design and product lifecycle management.
The findings highlight the demands of a shift towards greener business models in parallel with greater digitalisation. The researchers argue this requires teams combining technical expertise with communication, negotiation, and strategic decision-making skills. As such, universities and vocational training providers need to align their programmes more closely with labour market needs to close the skills gap.
Trevisan, A.H., Acerbi, F., Pellucchi, I., Dukovska-Popovska, I., Mossa, G., Terzi, S. and Sassanelli, C. (2026) ‘A survey on skills and education needs for the industrial circular economy transition’, Int. J. Product Lifecycle Management, Vol. 16, No. 2, pp.218–251.
No comments:
Post a Comment