Article: A survey on skills and education needs for the industrial circular economy transition Journal: International Journal of Product Lifecycle Management (IJPLM) 2026 Vol.16 No.2 pp.218 - 251 Abstract: The industrial sector requires skilled professionals to implement circular practices. With the advent of digital transformation, this demand for skilled labour is growing. Clear understanding of the real needs of industry is a valuable input to educational institutions to design training programs that effectively meet the skill requirements of organisations in the labour market. Therefore, this study aims to map the industrial and practical requirements related to the skills and job roles essential for advancing the transition to a circular economy (CE). To this end, an online exploratory survey was conducted with 102 experts from firms interested in or engaged in CE-related activities. This article discusses a set of skills required by industry, the main barriers to CE implementation, highlighting the necessity of a skilled workforce, and explores the different educational formats most needed to strengthen professional training for a twin green and digital transition. Inderscience Publishers - linking academia, business and industry through research

Title: A survey on skills and education needs for the industrial circular economy transition

Authors: Adriana Hofmann Trevisan; Federica Acerbi; Irene Pellucchi; Iskra Dukovska-Popovska; Giorgio Mossa; Sergio Terzi; Claudio Sassanelli

Addresses: Department of Management, Economics and Industrial Engineering, Politecnico Di Milano, Via Lambruschini, 4/B, 20156 Milan, Italy; School of Public Health, University of São Paulo, 01246904 São Paulo, Brazil ' Department of Management, Economics and Industrial Engineering, Politecnico Di Milano, Via Lambruschini, 4/B, 20156 Milan, Italy ' Erion Compliance Organization Scarl, Via Messina 38, 20154 Milan, Italy ' Department of Materials and Production, Aalborg University, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark ' Department of Mechanics, Mathematics and Management, Politecnico di Bari, Via Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy ' Department of Management, Economics and Industrial Engineering, Politecnico Di Milano, Via Lambruschini, 4/B, 20156 Milan, Italy ' Department of Mechanics, Mathematics and Management, Politecnico di Bari, Via Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy

Abstract: The industrial sector requires skilled professionals to implement circular practices. With the advent of digital transformation, this demand for skilled labour is growing. Clear understanding of the real needs of industry is a valuable input to educational institutions to design training programs that effectively meet the skill requirements of organisations in the labour market. Therefore, this study aims to map the industrial and practical requirements related to the skills and job roles essential for advancing the transition to a circular economy (CE). To this end, an online exploratory survey was conducted with 102 experts from firms interested in or engaged in CE-related activities. This article discusses a set of skills required by industry, the main barriers to CE implementation, highlighting the necessity of a skilled workforce, and explores the different educational formats most needed to strengthen professional training for a twin green and digital transition.

Keywords: skills; circular economy; manufacturing; competences; workforce; education; job roles.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPLM.2026.154309

International Journal of Product Lifecycle Management, 2026 Vol.16 No.2, pp.218 - 251

Received: 21 Oct 2025
Accepted: 27 Jan 2026
Published online: 19 Jun 2026 *

Title: A survey on skills and education needs for the industrial circular economy transition

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