Brussels, 20 March 2026 – The Green Skills for Hydrogen project successfully concluded its European Hydrogen Skills Stakeholder Conference yesterday in Brussels. The event brought together representatives from the European Commission, industry stakeholders, and vocational education and training (VET) providers to address the urgent challenge of building a workforce for the burgeoning green hydrogen economy.
As Europe aims to create approximately 1 million highly skilled jobs in the hydrogen value chain by 2030, the conference served as a critical platform to transition from strategic blueprints to practical, industrial-scale implementation.
Key Highlights and Strategy Updates
The conference was inaugurated with powerful insights from top-level European leadership, emphasizing the strategic intersection of policy and research. Jüri Ratas, Member of the European Parliament and former Prime Minister of Estonia, delivered a compelling keynote on the vital role of hydrogen skills and vocational education, specifically highlighting their significance within both the Estonian and broader European contexts.
Following this, Luigi Crema, President of Hydrogen Europe Research, underscored that the success of the European hydrogen sector rests on two pillars: cutting-edge research and proactive skills development.
Bridging the Industry-Academia Gap
The conference center stage was occupied by a high-level panel discussion titled “Upskilling and Reskilling for the Energy Transition,” moderated by Andrei Bunis, European Commission Policy Maker on Skills for Industry and Net-Zero Industry Skills Academies. This session featured an elite roster of industry leaders, including Luigi Crema (President of Hydrogen Europe Research), Mark Jordan (CEO of Skillnet Ireland), Erik Zindel (VP Hydrogen & Decarbonization Strategy at Siemens Energy), Markus Lermen (Head of Vocational Training at DVGW), and Aitor Arzuaga Munsuri (President of BH2C – Basque Hydrogen Corridor). The consensus among these experts was definitive: the sector has transitioned from “theory to construction.” This shift necessitates a workforce with practical, hands-on experience, making the rapid scaling of vocational training and industry-aligned reskilling programs more critical than ever.
To meet this demand, the Project partners showcased the main strategies developed. Ahmed Abbas from ENERDATA opened this segment by presenting the European Hydrogen Skills Strategy, which lays the groundwork for the continent’s workforce needs. This was followed by a technical deep-dive into the Hydrogen Skills Core VET Curriculum, presented by Massimo Santarelli of Politecnico di Torino, which outlines the essential competencies required for the next generation of technicians. After a productive lunch and networking break, Jordi Moreno from NHL Stenden introduced the Green Skills for Hydrogen VET training programme, showcasing how these strategies are being transformed into actionable classroom modules. Finally, Pernille Gøtz from DTU captivated the audience with an Introduction to the Hydrogen Game, an innovative gamified learning tool designed to make complex hydrogen concepts accessible and engaging for students and professionals alike
A key highlight of the conference was the dedicated session on “Sister Project Presentation & Panel Discussion – Synergies: How to Streamline Hydrogen Skills Development in Europe.” Moderated by Dominik Richter of Hydrogen Europe Research, the panel brought together leaders from across the continent to discuss collaborative strategies for education. Insights were shared by Nikolaos Ntavos representing the Hydrogen Valley Vocational Excellence Hub (H2VE), Clément Maury from Green SkHy, Willem Hazenberg for H2CoVE, and Robert Steinberger-Wilckens for HyAcademy. Together, they explored how these interconnected initiatives can align their efforts to create a unified and efficient training landscape for the European hydrogen workforce.
Resources
1. Video recording: relive the full event, held on March 19, 2026, in Brussels.
2. Visit our image gallery.
3. Download all the slides from the conference presentations:
Looking Ahead
As the conference drew to a close, the focus shifted toward future milestones and long-term sustainability. Guillermo Giménez Rota from Fundación Hidrógeno Aragón presented a forward-looking session titled “The European Hydrogen Skills Alliance: What’s next for Green Skills for Hydrogen.” This segment outlined the roadmap for the project’s next phase, emphasizing the continued expansion of the H2 Skills Alliance.
For more information, please visit the Alliance page and sign the pledge:
