A Research Agenda Advancing Circular Economy Skills

The circular economy transition demands a shift in intellectual capital skills and workforce requirements. In addition, introducing digital technologies aimed at enhancing circularity adds a layer of complexity to this scenario. Consequently, an increasing number of studies are exploring sets of skills necessary for the digitally enabled circular transition. However, the most effective avenues for future exploration in this domain remain unidentified. By applying a systematic literature review, a strategic research agenda with six promising directions is proposed: (1) Skill, reskilling, and upskilling for circular manufacturing; (2) Geographical and cultural understanding of skills, education, and training programs; (3) Impacts of digitalization and required skills; (4) Methods and tools in CE educational programs; (5) Soft and hard skills integration in multidisciplinary CE courses; and (6) Circular economy skills and professional competency levels. These findings provide valuable insights that can guide future scientific endeavors towards areas of critical importance.