The Role of Vocational Education in Training Skilled Profesionals for the Circular Economy

- Radkevych, V. O. (orcid.org/0000-0002-9233-5718) (2026) The Role of Vocational Education in Training Skilled Profesionals for the Circular Economy Professional and lifelong education (10). pp. 259-275. ISSN 2543-7925

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Abstract

The article is devoted to substantiating the strategic role of vocational education in Ukraine’s transition to a circular economy. Against the backdrop of escalating global environmental and resource crises caused by the dominance of the linear consumption model, the circular economy is viewed as a necessary paradigm for sustainable development. It offers systemic solutions not only for achieving environmental sustainability through reduced anthropogenic pressure and a smaller carbon footprint but also for increasing economic competitiveness, stimulating innovation, and creating new jobs, which is particularly relevant for the country’s post-war reconstruction. The central argument of the article is that the successful implementation of circular models is impossible without training qualified personnel capable of thinking and acting according to new principles. In this context, the role of vocational education and training (VET) is analyzed as a key tool for forming a new generation of specialists. The main directions for modernizing the content of education are revealed: the integration of “green” competencies, which include product lifecycle management, reverse logistics, resource efficiency, and eco-design, and the introduction of ethical values, particularly environmental responsibility. Such a transformation necessitates updating professional standards and actively involving teaching staff, for whom continuous professional development programs must be created. Particular attention is paid to the challenges hindering the transformation of the educational process – financial, institutional, and socio-cultural barriers. To overcome them, progressive foreign experience (the Netherlands, Finland, Germany) is analyzed, and practice-oriented approaches are proposed. The key role of public-private partnership in modernizing the material and technical base and creating educational and practical centers is emphasized. The importance of implementing digital technologies (virtual simulations, online courses) to improve the quality and accessibility of vocational education, especially for students from temporarily occupied or affected territories, is highlighted. In conclusion, the article positions the modernization of vocational education as an integral component of Ukraine’s green recovery strategy, which will ensure the training of specialists capable of building a sustainable, innovative, and competitive economy of the future.

Item Type:	Article
Keywords:	circular economy, vocational education, sustainable development, content of education, green competencies, digital technologies, ethical values, labor market
Subjects:	Science and knowledge. Organization. Computer science. Information. Documentation. Librarianship. Institutions. Publications > 00 Prolegomena. Fundamentals of knowledge and culture. Propaedeutics > 004 Computer science and technology. Computing. Data processing > 004.9 Application-oriented computer-based techniques Science and knowledge. Organization. Computer science. Information. Documentation. Librarianship. Institutions. Publications > 3 Social Sciences > 33 Economics. Economic science Science and knowledge. Organization. Computer science. Information. Documentation. Librarianship. Institutions. Publications > 3 Social Sciences > 37 Education > 377 Specialized instruction. Vocational, technical, professional training. Vocational colleges, institutes. Polytechnics Science and knowledge. Organization. Computer science. Information. Documentation. Librarianship. Institutions. Publications > 5 Мathematics. natural sciences > 502/504 Environmental science. Conservation of natural resources. Threats to the environment and protection against them
Divisions:	Institute of Vocational Education > Department of Vocational Education Foreign Systems
Depositing User:	Яна Сергіївна Ткачова
Date Deposited:	01 May 2026 10:57
Last Modified:	01 May 2026 10:57
URI:	https://lib.iitta.gov.ua/id/eprint/749033

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