Skills
We help to create a dedicated European hydrogen workforce
Hydrogen Europe Research recognises the education of students and the upskilling & reskilling of the workforce as essential for the development of the future hydrogen economy. Considering the fast-paced deployment of the hydrogen ecosystem, a trained workforce will be needed to meet the ambitious EU targets and deliver on the strategies of member states and regions.
Hydrogen Europe Research set up a Task Force to discuss skills needs in the hydrogen sector and how to best address them. This Task Force brings together our members that have been shaping hydrogen skills through various EU-funded projects for more than one decade. Within this group, the main topics of collaboration are:
Understanding the trends and needs for hydrogen skills;
Mapping of all skills related activities around Europe;
Supporting the alignment of the European skills projects;
Monitoring of EU policies on employment and skills in relation with hydrogen and green skills;
Work on dedicated topic to support the skills creation in Europe (e.g. recognition of certification).
The Task Force is steered by a chair who is elected for a two-year mandate. The current chair elected in 2024 is Professor Steinberger-Wilckens from the University of Birmingham.
We participate in the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Observatory
Hydrogen Europe Research partners in the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Observatory (FCHO). The FCHO provides data (statistics, facts and analysis) and up to date information about the entire hydrogen sector. The FCHO focuses on technology and market statistics, socio-economic indicators, policy and regulation, and financial support.
This go-to resource also has a dedicated section on Education and Trainings which is being updated regularly by Hydrogen Europe Research. This section is designed for students, teachers, researchers and, more broadly, individuals interested in learning about fuel cells and hydrogen. It provides an overview of trainings available in the field of fuel cells and hydrogen as well as educational materials that may be of interest to these groups. The Observatory has become a vast source of knowledge and contains more than 275 trainings and more than 245 educational materials in the field of hydrogen.
We participate in the Green Skills for Hydrogen project
The Green Skills for Hydrogen Project (GreenSkillsforH2, funded by the ERASMUS+ programme) is contributing to the development of a skilled workforce in Europe for the emerging hydrogen economy by addressing the skills gap and providing training to boost the industry.
GreenSkillsforH2 will help meet European hydrogen ambition by accelerating the upskilling and reskilling of students and members of the workforce across Europe.
Hydrogen Europe Research is part of the Consortium managing this initiative, which is led by the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and has a total of 34 partners from 15 European countries.
Some of the achievements of the project include:
The development of a one-of-its-kind skills needs assessment, which include the input of over 100 hydrogen related organisations in Europe.
The development of core curricula which can be freely accessed by trainers.
The delivery of pilot trainings to refine the curricula and support urgent training needs.
The large-scale advocacy and communication around hydrogen skills creation to create societal awareness around the subject.
