Environmental professionals fear skills gap

A survey has revealed concerns about a green skills gap in the waste and resources sector, which is set to treble in staffing in less than a decade.

The survey, from the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM), the Environmental Services Association (ESA), Groundwork and the Environmental Services and Solutions Expo, gathered data from 1,498 professionals from across environmental services.

More than half of respondents expressed the view that UK businesses are unprepared for the transition to a sustainable future. A quarter of respondents cited the need for more training in waste management and circular economy building.

More than one in 10 reported a shortage of skills in climate change adaptation and resilience building.

Adam Read, chief external affairs and sustainability officer at Suez Recycling and Recovery UK and member of the Government’s Green Skills Delivery Group, said the resources and waste management sector is set to treble from 150,000 to nearly 450,000 staff in just under a decade

“To prepare for this, the sector must continue to improve its attractiveness and upskill it workforce to ensure staff retention,” Read said.

He said that key skills in demand include technology, design, AI, communications, engineering, policy implementation, regulation and data analysis. He called for more training programmes, apprenticeship schemes and collaboration with educational institutions.