Plastics : The "In-demand" skills in the plastic industry

Sustainability pressures, changing regulations, and new technologies are creating a demand for new and specific skills. 

Technical skills:

Material science: 

• Understanding how different polymers behave, how they age, how they respond to heat and stress. 
• This is the foundation everything else builds on. 
• Someone who truly understands why a plastic fails or performs well is invaluable.

Process engineering: 

• Knowledge about how plastics are actually made. 
• Knowledge about injection molding, extrusion, blow molding, thermoforming
• Knowledge about how to optimize these processes, reduce waste, and improve efficiency

Quality control: 

• The ability to test, inspect, and certify plastic products before they reach consumers. 
• This includes understanding international standards like ISO and industry-specific testing protocols. 

Sustainability skills:

Life cycle assessment: 

• Ability to calculate the actual environmental impact of a plastic product from the raw material through manufacturing, use, and disposal. 
• Ability to quantify environmental claims of the production process

Circular economy design: 

• Designing products that can be recycled, reused, or composted 

Bioplastic technology: 

• Understanding the science behind and limitations of plant-based alternatives
• Ability to evaluate whether bioplastics actually make sense for a specific product rather than just following marketing trends

Digital and analytical skills:

Data analytics: 

• Plastic manufacturing generates enormous amounts of process data. 
• People who can analyse this data to predict failures, optimize production, and reduce material waste are increasingly in demand.

Automation and IoT: 

• Smart factories are becoming the norm 
• Understanding how sensors, automated systems, and connected devices work together in manufacturing environments is a growing priority.

Supply chain management: 

• The ability to track raw materials from the source to the finished product as the industry is shifting toward recycled and bio-based material
• Ability to source sustainable materials across a global supply chains 

Regulatory and compliance skills:

Environmental Compliance:

• Plastic production faces increasing environmental regulations worldwide. 
• A person who understands these regulations and can help companies stay ahead of them rather than just reacting to them is extremely valuable.

Certification and standards: 

• Ability to understand ISO 14001, REACH regulations and regional plastic waste directives. 

Business and strategy skills:

Product development: 

• Creating new plastic products or improving existing ones to meet changing market demands
• This combines technical knowledge and an understanding of what consumers and retailers actually need

Consulting: 

• Companies are actively seeking outside expertise to help them transition toward sustainability, improve efficiency, and navigate regulatory changes
• Someone who understands both the technical and business sides are highly valuable

The highest growth areas:

• Sustainability-focused roles
• Digital manufacturing (use of software, sensors, and data analytics to automate and optimize the entire manufacturing process)
• Recycling technology

The intersection of technical plastic knowledge with sustainability expertise and digital capability is one of the most valuable skills.