Green hydrogen and the workforce of tomorrow

Green hydrogen is emerging as a promising solution for decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors, including steel, cement, aviation and shipping. Beyond its environmental benefits, it offers opportunities for economic growth, energy security and job creation, particularly in countries with abundant renewable energy resources. However, the development of the green hydrogen sector remains uncertain, with challenges related to high production costs, evolving demand, infrastructure gaps and competition from alternative technologies. Navigating these uncertainties and unlocking the sector's potential will require agile and inclusive skills systems that can anticipate and respond to emerging workforce needs.

The webinar featured the ILO's research brief, Powering the Future: Green Hydrogen and the Workforce of Tomorrow, which examines the evolving green hydrogen landscape, emerging skills needs across industries and supply chains, and policy approaches to support workforce development. Bringing together international experts and practitioners, the session provided a platform to exchange perspectives on the skills challenges and opportunities associated with green hydrogen and to explore how skills development policies can support a just energy transition.

Recording

Moderator

• Casper Edmonds
  Head, Manufacturing, Mining and Energy Unit, International Labour Organization (ILO)

Speakers

• Taka Kizu
  Skills Development Officer, International Labour Organization (ILO)
• Örs Sümeghy
  Junior Analyst, International Energy Agency (IEA)
• Fernanda Delgado
  President, ABIHV (Brazilian Green Hydrogen Industry Association)
• Michelle Goliath
  Sustainable Development Specialist, South Africa