Green hydrogen and TVET skills’ role in South Africa’s just transition

The report investigates the impact of a transition to a green hydrogen economy on TVET-level employment in South Africa, contrasting domestic development with international export opportunities. It identifies key sectors for skill development—including chemicals, electrical machinery, and PGM mining—and argues that while GHE jobs are expected to grow significantly after 2030, the TVET system must address structural gaps and develop specialized curricula in fuel cell and electrolyser manufacturing to support a just transition for workers in coal and refining.

• Global Net-Zero pathways could put approximately 1,800 TVET-level jobs in South African coal mining at risk due to declining international demand for coal.
• The phase-out of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles threatens TVET employment in the refining and automotive sectors, potentially risking 2,000 TVET-certified refinery jobs and 5,000 TVET-certified automotive jobs.
• A rapid global transition to Net-Zero by 2050 could lead to an eight-fold increase in platinum demand, potentially adding between 3,300 and 7,650 TVET jobs in PGM mining by 2050.
• Exporting green hydrogen-based products (including fuel cells and electrolysers) could significantly increase TVET employment, potentially adding between 9,000 and 15,000 TVET jobs by 2045 in GHE sectors, excluding PGM mining and iron and steel.
• The timing of job growth in GHE sectors generally follows 2030, creating a gap for workers in the petrochemical sector who may face output decreases before 2030.
• Power generation and the iron and steel sectors are identified as critical for cushioning TVET job losses from coal mining before 2030.
• The TVET system currently lacks the ability to fully supply the specialized technical skills needed for green hydrogen, requiring the development of new courses in fuel cell component manufacturing and hydrogen safety.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (n.d.). Green hydrogen and TVET skills’ role in South Africa’s just transition. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Workstream-2-Green-hydrogen-and-TVET-skills-role-in-South-Africas-just-transition_UCT.pdf

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Green hydrogen and TVET skills’ role in South Africa’s just transition. n.d. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Workstream-2-Green-hydrogen-and-TVET-skills-role-in-South-Africas-just-transition_UCT.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Green hydrogen and TVET skills’ role in South Africa’s just transition |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Workstream-2-Green-hydrogen-and-TVET-skills-role-in-South-Africas-just-transition_UCT.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairsndgreen, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Green hydrogen and TVET skills’ role in South Africa’s just transition}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Workstream-2-Green-hydrogen-and-TVET-skills-role-in-South-Africas-just-transition_UCT.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }