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A comprehensive Skills Matrix which provides guidance and support for professional and career development across the UK waste, recycling and resource management sector has been launched by the CIWM (Chartered Institution of Wastes Management) in conjunction with its Skills for the Future Working Group.
The Skills Matrix sets out the essential knowledge, capabilities and practical skills required to achieve success in a variety of roles at every career stage, providing a clear and personalised roadmap for individuals and businesses. This will help employers to better understand and meet the needs of what is a rapidly evolving sector. It also has the potential to be a valuable tool for recruitment and future workforce planning, while helping to assess the skills and competency levels of existing staff.
The matrix is equally valuable to individuals who can use it to explore potential career paths within the sector and chart their steps to success. This information can help in providing focus for Continuing Professional Development, forming the basis of mentoring conversations, and helping to identify specific training and development needs.
The free to access Skills Matrix covers six key areas, incorporating crucial sector-specific competences, alongside behavioural and ‘soft’ skills:
- Waste and Resources Management Sector – Core Sector Knowledge, Legislation and Compliance, and Health, Safety and Wellbeing.
- Sustainability and the Circular Economy – Business Models and Environmental Best Practice.
- Professional Standards and Ethics – Codes of Conduct, Practice and Ethics, and Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
- Interpersonal Skills – Effective Communication, Teamwork, and Conflict Management.
- Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), and Commitment to Professional Standards.
- Management and Leadership – Decision Making, Project and People Management, Change Management, Stakeholder Engagement and Crisis Management.
- Business Skills – Systems Thinking, Negotiation and Contract Management.
- Digital Literacy and Business Continuity.
Commenting on the launch, Chair of CIWM’s Skills for the Future Working Group, Dr Adam Read, said: “The aim of the working group is to ensure that the talent and professionalism, which are so vital to the success of this sector, are supported at every level and are aligned with the increasingly diverse range of skills required to support its growth. The Skills Matrix will play an important role in helping us to achieve this both today and in the future.”
CIWM’s Professional Services Director, Katie Cockburn, added: “CIWM is committed to promoting professional standards in the waste and resources sector and supporting organisations and individuals to understand and develop the skills and competences required across all roles and levels. The suite of tools provide a structured approach to learning and development and will help ensure we have the broad range of skills necessary to move the world beyond waste.”
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