Report calls for Hydrogen Skills Academy to be established with industry support

Industry leaders in the clean energy economy have today launched a plan to ensure the UK workforce has the skills it needs to harness the potential of hydrogen to help deliver growth and reach net zero.

Empowering The Future: A Strategic Skills Plan for the UK Hydrogen Economy – published by the Hydrogen Skills Alliance (HSA)  – highlights the scale of the challenges the industry faces in ensuring the right skills are in place to support its continued growth and long-term success.

The Strategy calls for a national Hydrogen Skills Academy to be developed in partnership with employers across the UK, ensuring local workforces are equipped with the specialised skills needed to support hydrogen’s growing role in the energy transition. By uniting government, industry and training providers, the proposed Academy will deliver targeted curricula to upskill workforces and meet the sector’s rapidly evolving demands.

The HSA’s recent workforce assessment found around 29,000 jobs will be needed across the hydrogen economy by 2030 – a huge increase from the current 1,600 jobs – in areas such as production, transmission, transportation and storage.

Established in 2023 by leading employer-led skills charity Cogent Skills and the National Composites Centre, the HSA brings together more than 50 organisations from the four nations of the UK – including industry, academia, government and skills bodies – to address the skills gaps and promote innovation.

Hydrogen is an adaptable energy source that is crucial to the government’s goal of establishing the UK as a clean energy superpower. It is the simplest and most abundant chemical element in the universe and when harnessed offers a clean, safe and versatile replacement for high-carbon fuels – helping reduce emissions and providing net zero energy to decarbonise industry, as a building block for clean transport fuels and to keep our energy system in balance.

Minister of State at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the Department for Business and Trade, and Co-Chair of the UK Hydrogen Delivery Council, Sarah Jones MP, said: “This strategy provides a clear picture of the roles required across the hydrogen value chain, our current strengths and the skills challenge. It sets out the need for a coordinated and collaborative approach between skills providers, employers and government.

“Not only can we offer a credible solution to decarbonising heavy industry, but we can also create and develop a world-leading hydrogen ecosystem, creating jobs, skills and long, complex supply chains. All of this is within our reach, as we have the chance to allow this clean and abundant energy source to make a real difference for decades to come.”

Co-Chair of the UK Hydrogen Delivery Council, Jane Toogood OBE FRSC, said: “As this sector grows, it will need great people and we should be ready to capture the opportunity for well paid, highly skilled jobs in those parts of the country that will most benefit from these opportunities.

“The strategy outlines how partners across the sector can work together to unlock the potential of hydrogen and digs deeper into the skills needed to ensure the hydrogen workforce is fit for the future.”

Divisional CEO at Equans UK & Ireland and chair of the UK Hydrogen Delivery Council’s Jobs, Skills and Supply Chain working group, James Graham, said: “The launch of this strategy marks a key milestone in ensuring the UK workforce is ready to support the rapid growth of the hydrogen economy. By identifying and addressing skills gaps, and encouraging cross-sector collaboration, it provides a clear framework to equip individuals and industries for the energy transition.

“At Equans our mission to deliver a low carbon future requires investment in skills such as the Hydrogen Skills Academy. This effort goes beyond decarbonisation—it’s about unlocking opportunities, driving innovation, and building a resilient economy for the future.”

CEO of Cogent Skills and co-founder of the Hydrogen Skills Alliance, Justine Fosh, said: “We’re really pleased to launch this important strategy, which is the result of several years of investment and hard work by a range of partners – including our co-founders the National Composites Centre – and shows our commitment to harnessing the power of hydrogen.

“If we all work with a renewed focus on boosting skills and creating jobs we can make a significant contribution towards much-needed economic growth and play a vital role in helping deliver net zero.”

Chief Portfolio Officer of the National Composites Centre, Katy Riddington, said: “Developing hydrogen skills is essential for driving the nation’s clean energy transition. A strategy that equips the workforce with the expertise needed to support the growing hydrogen sector will create high-quality jobs, foster innovation, and position the UK as a leader in clean energy.

“This investment in skills and training not only accelerates the journey to net zero but also strengthens the UK’s ability to meet future energy demands sustainably and competitively.”