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Identifying and prioritizing essential skills for the circular economy workforce
1School of Public Affairs, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China; Institute of China's Science, Technology and Education Policy, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
Journal of Environmental Management
|September 12, 2025
Summary
Developing a skilled workforce is crucial for the Circular Economy (CE). This study prioritizes essential CE skills, identifying technical, strategic, and digital competencies like Circular Product Design and Systems Thinking as most critical for sustainable development.
Area of Science:
- Sustainability Science
- Human Capital Development
- Circular Economy Studies
Background:
- The transition to a Circular Economy (CE) is essential for sustainable development.
- Significant workforce skills gaps hinder effective CE implementation.
- Prior research lacks systematic prioritization of CE skills based on diverse expertise.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and prioritize essential skills for a proficient CE workforce.
- To address the gap in systematic CE skill prioritization.
- To provide an empirically grounded framework for CE skill development.
Main Methods:
- Sequential exploratory mixed-methods design.
- Semi-structured interviews with 45 international experts.
- Thematic analysis for skill framework development.
- Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP) for skill prioritization.
Main Results:
- A comprehensive CE skill framework with four dimensions: Strategic, Technical, Interpersonal, and Digital.
- Prioritization revealed the critical importance of technical, strategic-cognitive, and digital skills.
- Key competencies include Circular Product Design (DfX Principles), Systems Thinking, LCA & Material Flow Analysis, Holistic Perspective Taking, and Data Analysis & Interpretation.
Conclusions:
- The study delivers an empirically validated, prioritized CE skill framework.
- Actionable guidance is provided for educators, industry, and policymakers.
- Cultivating these skills is vital to accelerate the CE transition and achieve sustainability goals.
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