With the approval of the German hydrogen core network, one of the largest infrastructure projects of the energy transition has officially been set in motion. Around 9,000 kilometers of pipelines – some converted natural gas pipelines, some newly built – are to go into operation step by step by the early 2030s, transporting hydrogen from production and import sites to the central industrial regions. A decisive step has been achieved politically and in regulatory terms.
What is less often discussed: who is actually supposed to build this network, commission it, and operate it safely for decades? The labor market for the necessary qualification profiles is already tight today.
What the Core Network Means Technically
The core network mainly consists of two categories: converted natural gas pipelines that are adapted for pure hydrogen transport, a process that requires substantial work on materials, seals, and measurement technology, plus entirely new sections built where no suitable existing infrastructure exists. Both categories call for specialized technical expertise, particularly around hydrogen embrittlement in steel materials, changed sealing requirements, and adapted safety concepts.
Why the Staffing Demand Is So Hard to Meet
First, temporal compression: unlike classic grid expansion, which developed over decades, the core network must be realized within just a few years – without time for organic workforce growth. Second, this is effectively a new occupational profile: there are hardly any skilled workers with multi-year, practical experience in the construction and operation of hydrogen transmission pipelines. Third, demand competes directly with classic pipeline construction – district heating, municipal water infrastructure, industrial process media – since the basic qualifications overlap significantly. Fourth, the regulatory complexity surrounding the Pressure Equipment Directive and hydrogen compatibility further complicates recruitment, because continuous further training is necessary.
Key positions
For construction and conversion, project management for hydrogen pipeline construction is needed first, steering planning, permitting, and construction execution over years. Also indispensable are welding supervisors and quality assurance officers in accordance with standards such as EN ISO 3834 – without them, a project simply cannot move into execution. Equally critical are materials scientists who assess the suitability of pipeline materials for hydrogen, a subject area that, to date, is taught in sufficient depth at only a few institutes at German universities. For the conversion of existing pipelines, commissioning engineers are also needed, who are responsible for the safety-critical repurposing process.
As soon as sections go into operation, the demand shifts: grid control for hydrogen pipelines requires specific expertise regarding flow velocities and pressure conditions that differ from those of natural gas. A capable maintenance and asset management team monitors the long-term integrity of the pipelines, which is especially important for converted, sometimes decades-old routes. And safety engineers develop emergency concepts that account for hydrogen’s different explosion and diffusion behavior.
Where the skilled workers can come from
The most obvious source is classic natural gas long-distance pipeline construction, from which a significant portion of the basic qualifications can be directly transferred, supplemented by targeted additional training.
A second, productive source is the chemical and petrochemical industry, where handling pressure-monitored piping systems – in some cases even with hydrogen itself – is already long-standing practice.
A third source is the academic research landscape, with deep theoretical understanding of materials science and safety engineering.
And internationally, it’s worth looking at countries like the Netherlands, which already have a certain head start in experience with hydrogen infrastructure.
What companies should specifically do now
Workforce development should not be tackled only once a pipeline section is due for execution. A multi-year workforce strategy, linked to the known timeline of the core network realization, makes sense. A central component is building in-house qualification programs that specifically prepare experienced skilled workers from natural gas and pipeline construction for hydrogen – those who invest early gain a structural advantage over competitors who wait for fully qualified external candidates to become available.
Equally worthwhile are collaborations with universities and research institutions for early access to young talent. For particularly critical, hard-to-fill roles – such as welding supervision with hydrogen experience or specialized materials scientists – the targeted use of specialized executive search partners is advisable, as they can identify passive candidates through their network in adjacent industries and win them over for a move. A look at international experience, for example from the Netherlands, can additionally help avoid typical beginner mistakes in qualification and safety concepts from the outset.
Regional focal points
Workforce demand is concentrated along certain industrially significant corridors. The Rhine-Ruhr region, with its high density of energy-intensive industry – steel, chemicals, refineries – is among the areas with the earliest and most intensive expansion needs.
Similarly significant is northern Germany as a landing point for imported hydrogen and a starting point for connecting offshore wind-based electrolysis.
Southern Germany, especially Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg with their strong industrial base, is also becoming increasingly important.
Companies that need personnel in several of these focus regions simultaneously should develop a coordinated, cross-regional workforce strategy.
Conclusion
With every additional pipeline section that moves from planning into construction and operation, cumulative workforce demand continues to rise – against a talent pool that can only grow slowly due to structural constraints. Approval and financing are necessary but not sufficient conditions for a successful project. Decisive, as so often, are the people who actually build and operate it.
