Upskilling for the future

The waste management industry is changing rapidly. To meet these changes, individuals and organisations must have the right skills to perform effectively in the environmental management sector

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The effective management of waste has never been more critical. According to the World Bank, global waste is expected to grow from 2.01 billion tonnes to 3.40 billion tonnes by 2050. And in the UAE, residents produce between 1.2kg to 1.3kg of waste daily, with 77% of that refuse being sent to landfills.

While these figures are alarming, there is hope that the issue can be managed and that the waste management sector will evolve to meet the needs of today and tomorrow. Globally, there is much talk of a ‘green recovery’ in the wake of COVID-19, with the EU and US both discussing major energy and infrastructure plans. And in this region, the government is taking the issue of waste seriously, as seen with the UAE Vision 2021, which aims to transform the nation’s environmental impact.

For the waste management sector, a rapid upscaling of workforce capabilities will be necessary, as greater investments in R&D programmes yield new and better ways of working. And this will extend to both waste management and waste generating businesses, from hotels and F&B establishments to manufacturing players, as the two sectors are encouraged to deliver more technologically advance and environmentally-minded solutions. Developing a standardised and consistent method for the safe management of waste is critical - both for protecting the environment, and for those responsible for the collection, processing, and storage of waste.

Education, education