Roles with the hydrogen industry

There are many key skills required to be involved in the hydrogen industry.

Watch the video featuring the industry experts discussing the many individual opportunities available in Australia. The growth of hydrogen will see opportunities across many sectors and job skills including engineers, marketing, and management. The skillsets needed will allow hydrogen to push further in the clean energy transition.

The report Developing Australia’s Hydrogen Workforce was published in October 2022 by the Australian Industry Skills Committee and highlights the current state and potential growth of Australia’s hydrogen industry. Key findings of the report include: The development of the hydrogen industry in Australia has the potential to create tens of thousands of jobs across the hydrogen supply chain by 2030 (13,150 – 16,050 job roles in a medium demand scenario).

• A highly skilled workforce with a diverse range of skills will be required. 46 job roles were identified across areas including technicians, tradespersons, engineers, management and logistics.
• Of these 46 job roles, all of them are already existing and it is not expected that significant upskilling or retraining will be required in order to augment the roles to undertake hydrogen activities.
• There are limited existing hydrogen education and training pathways and a collaborative effort between industry, government, and education providers is required to develop the hydrogen workforce.
• Industry engagement in training and education is essential to ensure the workforce is equipped with industry relevant skills and knowledge and to keep pace with technological advancements and industry changes.

What skills are required?

Hydrogen production

Jobs in hydrogen production include hydrogen production engineers, hydrogen purification specialists, and hydrogen storage experts. These roles will require knowledge of chemical engineering, thermodynamics, and materials science.

Fuel cell development

Jobs in fuel cell development include fuel cell engineers, fuel cell technicians, and fuel cell materials scientists. These roles will require knowledge of electrical engineering, chemical engineering, and materials science.

Transportation

The growth of hydrogen-powered transportation will require technicians and mechanics trained to work on fuel cell vehicles and hydrogen fueling stations, as well as logistics and supply chain management professionals to ensure the safe and efficient distribution of hydrogen fuel.

Energy storage

As hydrogen is increasingly used for energy storage, professionals with knowledge of energy storage systems, grid integration, and data analysis will be in demand.

Policy and regulatory

The hydrogen industry will also require professionals with knowledge of policy and regulations related to hydrogen production, transportation, and storage. This could include roles such as policy analysts, energy market experts, and regulatory affairs specialists.

Business development

The hydrogen industry is expected to grow rapidly in the future, and so there will be a need for business development professionals, including sales and marketing experts, to help grow and develop new hydrogen-based businesses.

Safety and security

The hydrogen industry will require professionals with knowledge of safety and security protocols to ensure the safe handling, storage and transport of hydrogen.

Your task

Consider all the job roles and opportunities arising as part of the emerging hydrogen industry, are you someone who could transition into one or more of these? Share your thoughts and interests in the discussion.

References

_{PwC Consulting (2022) Developing Australia’s hydrogen workforce – Final report, Australian Industry Skills Committee.}