OPINION: The circular economy is a beast. It demands large-scale systemic change, the kind that can feel daunting even for professionals. Future generations will be at the heart of the shift from linear to circular models, but what do new professionals really want from the circular economy agenda?
At the top of the list is inclusion. We want to see fresh perspectives, diverse voices, and early career professionals recognised as valuable contributors. The next generation will be fundamental to the success of the circular transition, but only if our ideas are heard and acted upon. Alongside this we need cross-industry collaboration, where sectors work together rather than in silos. The resource and waste industry already does this well, managing materials, collaborating with supply chains to reduce waste, and improving product design. But we need to take it further, leveraging partnerships that span entire value chains and sectors.
We also need to make the sector itself more accessible and attractive to new talent. For many of us, including myself, the resource and waste sector wasn’t something we learned about at school or university, we very much accidentally stumbled into it. That lack of visibility is holding us back at a time when we need to fill thousands of new roles and develop the skills required to deliver a circular economy. The CIWM estimated that by 2030, 74,200 new roles will open in the UK’s resource and waste sector, many in growing opportunities like automation, AI, engineering or marketing: all areas unrecognisable as ‘waste’! By engaging with schools, apprenticeships or universities, and establishing accessible career paths, we can make our sector one of choice, reducing that critical skills gap. Language will be key during this process, with “circular economy” giving very little “umph” to a potential incoming candidate. We need to demystify the terminology and make these careers feel relevant, exciting, and meaningful.
Education is critical too and something during my Early Career Presidential period I was keen to focus on. As professionals, we understand that the circular economy is an essential part of reaching net zero, but for the public, this link is not always clear. People want careers that make an environmental difference, and we should be promoting the circular economy as exactly that: “a pathway to tackling climate change, protecting biodiversity, and building a regenerative future”.
Finally, we want action, not aspiration. In my four years working in the sector, progress has sometimes felt slow; perhaps this could be as a result of my packaging background at compliance scheme Beyondly, witnessing the steady implementation of packaging Extended Producer Responsibility, but early career professionals are hungry for bold commitments. We want to see strategies that match the scale of the challenge, moving further up the waste hierarchy to accelerating innovation where it matters most.
The circular economy represents one of the most significant opportunities of our generation, but to succeed, we need inclusions and collaboration, bold commitments and to increase accessibility and attractiveness for the incoming generation.
Join me at Resource Waste Management Expo at 10am on Day 1 to discuss “Careers with Impact” and practical solutions on bridging that critical skills gap.
Hear from Charlotte Davies and many more industry experts at the ESS Expo THIS WEEK at the NEC in Birmingham. Find out more here.
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