H2V FOUNDER MEMBER OF THE H2 ACADEMY
Ever since the launch of our first renewable hydrogen gigafactory project, the H2V teams have wondered about identifying, recruiting and training future employees and found there were no comprehensive training courses on hydrogen specifically (at best, H2 is included on a curriculum, notably concerning gas process safety).
There has been much discussion since 2018 with skills centres, Campus CEINE (the Normandy centre of excellence for energy-related training), engineering schools, public and private-sector training organisations, branches of industry and employment agencies, and research has been conducted by France Hydrogène and the CARIF-OREF organisation that observes and analyses the relationship between training and employment across regions. All parties made the same observation: there are already existing needs as regards production and delivery, and in future there will be a desperate shortage of people with the right skills and training in maintenance, given the development in travel and transport.
In 2021, through the involvement of local players and the energy sector, a BTS course was set up on maintenance of energy and fluid systems with a hydrogen element at the Pierre de Coubertin vocational training college in Bolbec. This course leads to a diploma qualification in maintenance, a type of occupation that has been identified as critical to the future of the hydrogen sector but which can also have applications in other sectors of industry.
H2V, PARTNERING REGIONS TO PROMOTE TRAINING
The introduction of this BTS diploma course is a first step. Given the climate challenges faced and the issue of energy self-sufficiency, it has now been clearly established that it is vital that a broader range of training options should be offered throughout the region.
H2V is a pioneer, taking part in working groups, contributing to the conducting of a study to determine the amount of training to provide, course content and teaching equipment to obtain (electrolyser, control system, fuel cell, battery, solar panel, etc.). It has also been working since its launch on the Future Investment Programme (2.5 billion over 5 years).
29th September 2021: a partnership agreement to fund this research was signed between the intermunicipal authorities of Caux Seine Agglo, the Pierre de Coubertin training college, H2V, Air Liquide, TotalEnergies, GRTgaz, Sonotri, EDF and Viria.
As a member of the France Hydrogène organisation and partner of AFPA (France’s national agency for adult vocational training), H2V is providing support for setting up future business incubators for the hydrogen sector in test locations near to catchment areas identified by the CSF industry strategy committee.