Designing Skills for the Circular Economy – ReGen Write Up

At the Skills Stage during ReGeneration Earth, a panel discussion tackled a vital question: What skills are essential for creating a truly circular economy—and how can we integrate them into today’s education and training programs?  

Led by Declan Williams, Head of Partnerships at The Sustainability Community (TSC), the panel brought together Fiona Bolam, Interim Chief Officer, Economy & Skills at Leeds City Council; Jamie Saye, Co-founder and Executive Director at Sustainable Arts in Leeds (SAIL); and Avalon Rawling, Director at HUmans Doing Useful Stuff (HUDUS). During this discussion, they explored how thinking, working and learning need to evolve to support circular solutions. 

Shifting the model from linear to circular 

Declan opened the discussion by sharing a powerful fact – according to Accenture, the circular economy could unlock up to £75 billion by 2030. But to realise that potential, we need the workforce ready to make it happen. The panel explored how traditional, task-based skills are no longer enough – we need more adaptable and creative ways of working. 

Avalon pointed out that the circular economy isn’t new – we’ve just moved away from it. She called for a return to ways of working that focus on learning, solving problems and responding to change, rather than following a fixed, linear process. This shift means encouraging flexibility across organisations and rethinking fixed job roles. 

Declan and Fiona agreed, adding that agility, creativity and curiosity should be key skills developed throughout life, from early education to adult training. They added that being able to ask the right questions and tackle challenges from different angles is just as important as technical proficiency. 

Building skills into strategy and systems  

Fiona explained that if we want a workforce that’s ready for the future, we need a clear plan. Whether it’s writing policy, allocating funding or creating new learning opportunities, we have to start by understanding the challenges and listening to the communities facing them. 

For example, Leeds City Council already provides free training in green and retrofit skills. But there’s still more to do. Digital and circular skills should be treated as essential, not just added on later. Jamie added that when SAIL built a physical hub for circular resources, they also created a digital catalogue. What started as a local resource quickly needed to expand to a national level, showing how important connected, joined-up systems are. 

Declan noted that one of the biggest challenges is simply making it easier for businesses to know where to go for help. He suggested local one-stop shops for retrofit and reuse could act as both support hubs and training opportunities. 

Rethinking the way we manage and lead 

When asked how circular thinking affects leadership, Avalon said we need to rethink how responsibility is shared. She explained that organisations can’t rely on people doing the same tasks in the same way forever. Instead, responsibility should be spread across teams, supported by trust and shared ownership. Taking this approach would not only reduce pressure but also give people space to solve problems in creative ways. 

She highlighted the importance of “meta-skills” – including creativity, responsibility and the ability to take initiative – which she believes can help people work better together and that it’s not about strict management but more about helping people step up and contribute. 

Jamie shared a story where very different groups managed to collaborate on a shared climate goal. It showed that a shared mission can bring people together, even if it means letting go of traditional competition. 

Digital meets circular 

The panel also looked at the role of digital tools. They agreed that almost every business today is, in some way, a tech business. Recognising that is key to bringing digital and circular thinking together.  

Fiona pointed out that how we work is just as important as the tools we use. The real challenge is creating the environments where people are trusted to adapt and learn as they go. Circular thinking relies as much on mindset as it does on processes. 

Avalon added that we also need to rethink how we teach these skills. She explained that focusing only on short-term business goals can hold people back. Instead, she said that we should support learning that evolves over time, even if the benefits aren’t immediate, as the long-term impact could be far more valuable. 

From curriculum to culture 

The panel agreed that skills can’t just be taught by ticking boxes on a curriculum. Fiona described developing skills as an adventure, one that involves risk, trial and error and long-term commitment. Declan added that learning often happens quietly, only becoming obvious when we need to use it – like how algebra builds problem-solving skills, even if we never use the equations again. 

Fiona shared some real-life examples of how circularity is already being supported – from digital enterprise programmes to grant funding for small repair businesses. By working closely with schools and putting resources where they’re needed most, policymakers can help make circular thinking part of daily life. 

Final reflections 

To close the session, Avalon shared that we can’t keep planning the future based only on the past. The best thing we can do, she said is to pay attention to what’s happening now and help both children and adults build the flexibility to respond. Then with trust, creativity and community, we can face the circular economy not just as a technical challenge, but as a social and cultural one too.