The latest jobs assessment suggests that the ambition, as set out in the British Energy Security Strategy, to produce 10GW hydrogen by 2030 will require hydrogen production to grow by 10,000 times.
With this, the Hydrogen Skills Alliance said that the hydrogen economy of 2030 will require a significant workforce – 29,000 direct and 64,500 indirect jobs using a mix of new and existing skills.
Based on a variety of national and international sources – including employer input, studies, workshops and information from overseas hydrogen bodies – the latest assessment covers predicted workforce demand in production, storage, distribution and use of hydrogen.
The report also highlights key actions needed to address issues affecting the sector such as skills and labour shortages especially in STEM, uncertainty about workforce demand, lack of clarity around hydrogen-specific roles and competencies, and lack of industry equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI).
In a statement, Justine Fosh, CEO of Cogent Skills, a founder member of the Hydrogen Skills Alliance, said: “Understanding the future labour market is vital for the smooth transition to a net zero economy. The nascency of our hydrogen economy, featuring new and emerging technologies, presents a unique set of skills challenges that can only be addressed through cross-sector collaboration.
“Work to develop a comprehensive skills strategy is underway, and a better understanding of the skills and competencies required will increase workforce flexibility and support the development of new and exciting career pathways for those wishing to transition into the workforce from adjacent industries.”
Some of the key recommendations from the Hydrogen Skills Alliance report will be fed into a wider UK Hydrogen Skills Strategy, due to be published in the autumn.
Key recommendations include creating a dynamic modelling tool for hydrogen workforce planning, mapping transferable skills from oil and gas and other sectors to the hydrogen industry, training programmes to equip incoming industry workers for new roles, and increasing outreach via the National Careers Service and activity in schools to encourage take-up of STEM subjects and careers.
An Executive Summary of the Hydrogen Skills Workforce Assessment can be downloaded here.
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