Development of competence, skills and training for the transition to hydrogen

IDRIC Project 9.4

 
energy institute
energy institute

Background

The Energy Institute held a hydrogen energy transition workshop with stakeholders in hydrogen production, storage and distribution, which identified that there are insufficient suitably qualified/certified technicians, mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, control and instrumentation engineers, project managers and other front line staff to cater for a transition from a petroleum based energy sector to a hydrogen based energy sector. In addition, there lacks the required competence profiles for the comparable roles, and suitable training to facilitate re-skilling against those profiles.

Martin Maeso

Principal Investigator
Energy Institute

Project Team

Energy Institute:
Toni Needham
Mark Scanlon

Aim

This project proposes to collaborate with relevant stakeholders to produce a framework for competency at different levels in working with hydrogen. The project will engage with the industrial clusters and academia to work towards this goal. This project is seen as essential to create the necessary skills base in a short period of time to enable a transition to a hydrogen economy. The view is that it is easier to transfer existing skills, knowledge and resource to hydrogen than look to start afresh.

The project envisages a number of phases. Only Phase 1 has been commissioned within available funding. The findings of Phase 1 will be used to ascertain whether there is value in taking forward Phases 2 and 3.

Phase 1 comprises a  baseline/gap-analysis desktop research and interviews with industry and academia to define current position with skills requirements and future expectations.

The findings of Phase 1 are expected to determine the need for and scope of Phases 2 and 3 e.g., upskilling and implementation planning.

Meet the Team

 

Team 1

Mark Scanlon

Energy Institute

Team 2

Toni Needham

Energy Institute

Team 1

Mark Scanlon

Energy Institute

Team 2

Toni Needham

Energy Institute

Case Study

Clusters

A stakeholder Working Group has been established to further develop the scope of the project, provide direction and peer review the Phase 1 draft deliverable. Some 15 organisations have participated in the stakeholder Working Group; however, the following have actively participated: ENI, Brighton University, Nottingham University and CATCH.

The research element of the project has involved interviews with industry and academia (both Further and Higher Educational Establishments).