Green SKHy is entering a new phase. Following three years of collaboration across North-West Europe, the Green SKHy Capitalisation Initiative has officially been approved. The Capitalisation phase will build on the knowledge, training methods, partnerships and experience developed within Green SKHy and take them further, with an expanded geographical reach and a sharper focus on the skills needed for hydrogen-powered heavy-duty mobility.
Three years of investing in hydrogen skills
Bringing together education and training providers, industry, knowledge institutions and public authorities from across North-West Europe, the project has worked on different elements needed to strengthen human capital for the hydrogen transition.
Together, partners have developed and tested training content tailored to emerging needs in the hydrogen sector, created practical training solutions and contributed to the development and recognition of hydrogen-related professions.
Students, researchers and professionals have been reached through practice-oriented training and international programs, while the joint development of training content has enabled knowledge and methodologies to be shared across borders.
Just as importantly Green SKHy has created an international network in which organisations can exchange knowledge, experience and approaches related to hydrogen skills.
Reflecting on the past three years, Clément Maury, Project Coordinator of Green SKHy, highlights the value of international collaboration:
"Over the past three years, our transnational approach has proved its worth in building the capacity of training providers, both universities and VET centres, and in meeting the practical needs of businesses in a rapidly evolving sector."
From project results to lasting impact
The impact of Green SKHy is not only reflected in the people reached during the project. It can also be seen in the structures, methods and collaborations that have been created along the way.
Training materials and methods developed within Green SKHy can be reused and further developed by education and training organisations. Practical training solutions can continue to support learners and professionals, while knowledge and approaches developed through transnational cooperation are increasingly finding their way into education, training activities and regional strategies.
This is an important part of the legacy of Green SKHy, not simply delivering individual project activities, but creating a foundation that can continue to support hydrogen skills development across North-West Europe.
And that is also where capitalisation comes in.
Build on what we have learned
Capitalisation means building on what has already been developed, tested and learned and using these results as the starting point for further development.
Since Green SKHy started, the hydrogen sector itself has continued to evolve. When the original project was launched, it was still difficult to predict which hydrogen applications would move beyond research and development and develop at a larger scale.
Three years later, the picture is becoming clearer. Across North-West Europe, hydrogen-powered heavy-duty mobility ecosystems are increasingly taking shape, from buses and trucks to trains, ships and other heavy-duty applications.
With these developments come new questions around human capital. The transition requires people with the right knowledge and skills to work across these emerging ecosystems.
A sharper focus on hydrogen-powered heavy duty mobility
During the Capitalisation phase, Green SKHy will therefore build on the training and experience developed during the original project while sharpening its focus on hydrogen-powered heavy-duty mobility.
The partners will further address skills and training needs across different professions and qualification levels, from hydrogen refuelling and driving to vehicle maintenance, engineering and design.
Existing knowledge and training developed within Green SKHy will provide a foundation, while the partnership will look more closely at the specific needs emerging within heavy-duty hydrogen ecosystems across North-West Europe.
The aim is not to start again, but to make further use of what Green SKHy has already built and apply it to a sector that is now taking shape more concretely.
Expanding across North-West Europe
With Hydrogen Ireland Association joining, Green SKHy will now cover the entire Interreg North-West Europe program area. Including Ireland will give the partnership a more comprehensive perspective on existing and emerging hydrogen-powered heavy-duty mobility ecosystems across North-West Europe.
At the same time, the knowledge and experience developed during the first three years of Green SKHy can now be shared and applied within this new territory.
"This additional phase will enable us to respond more directly to the needs of the H2 ecosystems that are currently the most mature and operational, namely heavy-duty transport. Involving Irish stakeholders will be a valuable asset in strengthening our analysis and disseminating our findings", says Clément.
The next chapter of Green SKHy
The approval of the Capitalisation Initiative means that the work of Green SKHy can continue but with a clearer picture of where the hydrogen sector is heading and where the partnership can make a difference.
The coming phase will bring together the experience of the past three years, an expanded partnership and a more targeted focus on one of the areas where hydrogen is increasingly taking shape: heavy-duty mobility.
We are proud of what Green SKHy and its partners have achieved so far and look forward to taking the next step together.
More information about the Green SKHy Capitalisation Initiative, its partners and upcoming activities will follow soon.