Enhancing Circular Economy education and training for the manufacturing sector: A holistic skills framework

Abstract

Given the need for a transition to a circular economy (CE), investing in professional training and skill development is becoming increasingly important. In this context, educational programs need to equip the new generation of workers with the crucial skills demanded by the labor market. However, there is a lack of a comprehensive and holistic vision of the skills required to develop circular systems and to align training programs accordingly. Using a multimethod research approach that includes a systematic literature review, interviews with manufacturing companies, a survey, and a market analysis of CE educational courses, a gap analysis has been conducted to identify the gaps existing between current CE courses (as-is situation) and the skills considered critical both from a theoretical and an empirical perspective (to-be situation). As a result, a framework considering skills to be fostered at Higher Education (HE) and Vocational Education and Training (VET) levels was developed. Overall, the current CE courses predominantly focus on developing technical skills related to circular product design and circular (re)manufacturing processes, while soft and digital skills are overlooked. The framework acts as a visual starting point in providing valuable recommendations on which skills CE education programs should direct their endeavour. This study can help not only academics design appropriate educational programs but also practitioners aimed at addressing the existing skills gap.

Keywords: Circular Economy; Education; Industry 5.0; Skills; Sustainability; Teaching; Training programs; Twin transition.