The transition to a climate-neutral economy will not succeed without people who have the right skills. The European Climate Initiative (EUKI) recognises the importance of this challenge and thus invited the GreenVOCnet consortium to share how vocational education helps prepare the next generation of professionals for careers in green hydrogen, heat pumps and other clean technologies. The interview highlights how GreenVOCnet is helping turn this vision into reality.
Why EUKI chose GreenVOCnet to share its story
The technologies needed for Europe’s green transition already exist. The bigger challenge is ensuring there are enough people with the skills to design, install, operate and improve them.
This is the key message of the latest interview published by the European Climate Initiative (EUKI). It selected the GreenVOCnet project to demonstrate how vocational education and training (VET) helps address one of the greatest barriers to climate neutrality: the growing shortage of skilled professionals.
For the GreenVOCnet consortium, the interview is an important recognition of the project’s impact and its contribution to shaping Europe’s future workforce.
GreenVOCnet – Building Skills for the Green Economy
GreenVOCnet is an international initiative helping vocational education keep pace with the rapidly evolving green economy. It is implemented by partners from Germany, Greece, Spain and Slovakia who focus primarily on two technologies expected to play a key role in Europe’s energy transition: heat pumps and green hydrogen.
Its main goal is not only to develop teaching materials in these fields but also support teachers, trainers and vocational schools with practical learning resources, online courses, AI-supported tools and innovative teaching methods. The materials are free, flexible and can be adapted to different educational programmes and national contexts.
PEDAL Consulting is connecting young people with future careers
During the interview, Lea Bellušová, Project Manager at PEDAL Consulting, presented the consortium’s work on increasing awareness of careers in green technologies. She mentioned strengthening links between education and industry, and encouraging more young people, including young women, to consider technical professions.
As she explains, “Our consortium believes that green technologies provide young people with promising career prospects. Growing markets need a well-trained workforce… We also focus on making green tech jobs more appealing to young women, breaking stereotypes that technical professions are more suitable for boys.“
PEDAL Consulting also contributes to the project’s dissemination activities, stakeholder engagement and the development of educational approaches that reflect the needs of schools, learners and employers.
Learning that adapts to different needs
One of the project’s key achievements is its flexible approach to education. Rather than creating one universal curriculum, GreenVOCnet develops resources that can be adapted to different countries, educational systems and classroom environments. Artificial Intelligence supports teachers in tailoring materials to their specific needs, while digital tools including online courses, remote laboratories and Extended Reality (XR) expand access to practical learning experiences.
This flexibility makes it easier for schools and training providers to integrate green technologies into existing programmes without requiring extensive new infrastructure.
A Shared European challenge
The interview also draws the attention to the shortage of green skills which is not unique to one country. Across Europe the demand for qualified professionals in renewable energy, green hydrogen and heat pump technologies continues to grow. Addressing this challenge requires long-term cooperation between education providers, industry, public authorities and international partners.
Projects such as GreenVOCnet demonstrate how this collaboration can create practical solutions that support both learners and employers while accelerating the green transition.
Access the full interview
The complete interview with GreenVOCnet partners is available on the EUKI website:
https://www.euki.de/en/news/euki-interview-how-to-boost-green-technologies-through-vocational-training/ .
Do not hesitate to check it out and gain further insights into the project’s achievements, lessons learned and its vision for strengthening vocational education.
More information on the GreenVOCnet initiative:
GreenVOCnet – Vocational Empowerment for a Green and Socially Just Transition – PEDAL Consulting
