New report warns skills shortages threaten circular economy progress
Working with the Institution of Chemical Engineers and the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining to expose critical skills gaps
The Institution of Chemical Engineers (), the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining () and the 蜜桃社区 (蜜桃社区) have published a new report highlighting the urgent skills gaps and challenges facing the UK to develop the workforce required to deliver a successful circular economy, as well as setting out steps to address those challenges.
The report draws on insights from across industry, academia, education and training providers and policymakers, and calls for recognition of the fundamental role chemical and materials science and engineering play in realising the opportunities offered by greater circularity, including securing growth and building supply chain resilience.
The UK consumes 15.3 tonnes of materials per person each year 鈥� roughly double what is considered sustainable 鈥� with over 90% of those materials lost to the economy at the end-of-life. Transitioning away from this linear approach to materials consumption to a circular economy is a pressing imperative, but this can only be achieved with the right jobs and skills.
Action needed on skills, policy certainty and government strategy
The report highlights the need for long-term policy certainty and stability to support industry investment and individual career choices. It also calls for better awareness of job opportunities, stronger support for the skills pipeline by tackling barriers to education and increasing workforce diversity, an effective approach to regulation, planning and permitting, and greater alignment between government strategies.
Rachel Stonehouse, Head of Policy at IOM3, said: 鈥淭his report is informed by a broad and diverse community across our disciplines. It brings together insight from a range of actors and different sectors and clearly demonstrates that delivering the workforce to drive the circular transition is a cross-economy priority and pressing risk facing the UK.
鈥淓ssential for the UK鈥檚 long-term economic and environmental resilience, the shift to a low-carbon, circular economy relies fundamentally on chemical and materials science and engineering. As professional bodies, we will continue to support our communities to lead the transition and to help build the partnerships needed to deliver the skilled, inclusive and adaptable circular economy workforce the UK urgently requires.鈥�
Izzi Monk, 蜜桃社区 lead for environment and circular economy policy added: 鈥淭he UK鈥檚 transition to a circular economy is a strategic opportunity to strengthen our economy, secure critical material supply chains, and reduce environmental impacts.
鈥淏ut delivering on this potential depends on people. It poses a significant skills challenge 鈥� one that demands urgent, coordinated action across industry, education, and government.鈥�
Build on expert data and insight
Responses from survey and workshop participants suggest that core skills will remain important to the circular economy but will evolve over time, along with a greater emphasis on critical thinking, interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary skills to accompany lifecycle analysis and systems thinking.
Worryingly, there are shortages in chemical process engineering, research and development and metallurgical processes and techniques 鈥� all of which were identified as key sectors for a successful circular economy. In addition, important job roles such as chemical engineer, materials engineer, and environmental engineer/consultant are experiencing significant shortages.
鈥淲e are facing a serious skills gap when it comes to the circular economy. Industry is seeing deep challenges in sourcing these skills from local, UK-wide and international markets,鈥� said Duncan Lugton, Head of Policy & Impact at IChemE. 鈥淭he scale of this challenge means that we need to be drawing on all the possible sources of talent to make sure we have the workforce needed for the circular economy and addressing the barriers getting in the way of these.
鈥淔or instance, Higher Education provides a critical supply of new talent, but this is threatened by financial pressures.鈥� Lugton added: 鈥淩eskilling has a crucial role to play in providing the circular economy workforce but is currently being held back by a lack of awareness on transferable skills, pay disparities, and a lack of accessibility of some circular economy jobs. The report makes practical recommendations for how government, industry, education and training providers, professional bodies and the wider community can work together to address these challenges.鈥�
In a response to the report, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: 鈥淭his government is committed to building a circular economy where we keep resources in use for longer and reduce waste.
鈥淭his transition will accelerate our path to net zero, drive vital investment in green infrastructure and jobs, boost our economy, and help nature flourish. Getting our workforce equipped with the right skills will be absolutely critical to making this transformation a success.鈥�
Jobs and skills for a circular economy: a cross-sector perspective from the chemical and materials science and engineering communities is based on insights from two online workshops with 47 expert stakeholders across industry, academia, education and training providers and policymakers, and a survey with 54 participants.