Currently, there are no officially qualified technicians available to install, maintain, or service hydrogen systems or appliances. The installation of commercial hydrogen has already commenced in Australia, making it essential to have capable plumbing and gas fitting technicians who can safely complete the work.
This project will look to develop skill sets and approximately 20 units of competency which cover the following skills and knowledge areas across AQF levels 3-4:
- Characteristic and chemistry of hydrogen
- Hydrogen storage and handling
- Installation, commissioning, and decommissioning of hydrogen systems and appliances
- Hydrogen fuel cells and electrolysers
- Inspect, service and maintain
The implications of failing to provide training to the workforce for hydrogen will create unsafe work practices and a national skills shortage of competent plumbers and gasfitters.
A Technical Committee has been established to provide expert advice, identify any impacts on learners, and possible implementation issues. The Technical Committee members will also identify any additional stakeholders that should be included in the consultation strategy to assist with this project.
Technical Committee Members
| Name | Organisation | Stakeholder Type | Location |
| Glenn Menzies | Plumbing and Pipe Trades Employees Union | Employees and their representatives / Union | Victoria |
| Jack Keogh | Plumbing and Pipe Trades Employees Union | Employees and their representatives / Union | Queensland |
| Kent Vickers | Qld Industrial Gasfitting Services Pty Ltd & Master Plumbers Association of Qld. | Employers and their representatives / Peak bodies | Queensland |
| Michael Broomhead | ATCO Australia | Employers and their representatives / Peak bodies | Western Australia |
| John Whelan | NextGen Skills | Registered Training Organisations | Western Australia |
| Paul Dixon | PEER Training | Registered Training Organisations | South Australia |
| Shayne La Combre | Plumbing Industry Climate Action Centre | Registered Training Organisations | Victoria |
| Andrew Mckinnon | The Gordon TAFE | Registered Training Organisations | Victoria |
| Anthony Backhouse | TAFE NSW | Registered Training Organisations | NSW |
| Sue Sheppard | TAFE Queensland | Registered Training Organisations | Queensland |
| Paul Beaumont | RSHQ Queensland Government | State & Training Representatives (inc licencing and regulatory bodies) | Queensland |
| Martin Driscoll | Electrical Safety Office Queensland Government | State & Training Representatives (inc licencing and regulatory bodies) | Queensland |
| Lauren Conceicao | Conceicao Consulting | Educational Expert | South Australia |
| Rob Gilman | The Service Trade College Australia | Educational Expert | Queensland |
| Travis Koch | Charles Darwin University | Registered Training Organisations | Northern Territory |
The Terms of Reference for the Technical Committee can be found below.
| Project commencement date: | 10 February 2025 |
| Proposed project end date: | 13 July 2026 |
| Training Product Priority: | Complex |
The first Technical Committee meeting will be held in May 2025. In the Training Product Development phase, there could be up to 6 Technical Committee meetings. Meetings will be for a duration of 2-4 hours and will be held via a combination of face to face and online formats.
In September 2025 the first draft training product will be published on our website for public consultation and feedback. Further to this, from September to November 2025 there will be two online public consultations.
From December 2025 the Technical Committee will be required to meet again to conduct further revisions to the draft training products, based on feedback received through the public consultation.
The final draft training product will be sent to our Commonwealth and State/Territory Senior Responsible Officers in April 2026.
The finalisation and submission of the training product to the Assurance Body is proposed to be made in June 2026. Implementation and promotion of the new training product is expected to commence in July 2026.
Please note these dates may be subject to change throughout the project.
BuildSkills has established a Consultation Strategy that identifies key stakeholders and outlines mechanisms for engaging with them during the drafting of training products. This strategy includes the management of public consultations on the drafted products and the processing of feedback received.
The consultation methods employed by BuildSkills consist of in-person and virtual meetings, online surveys, focus groups, industry workshops, and feedback submitted through the website, or via email.
BuildSkills will engage the following stakeholders throughout the training product development process.
| Organisation | Stakeholder type | Footprint |
| Plumbing Industry Climate Action Centre (PICAC) | RTO | National |
| Master Plumbers and Mechanical Services Association of Australia | Employers and their representatives/peak bodies | National (through each State Association) |
| Plumbing and Pipe Trades Employees Union | Employees and their representatives/unions | National (through each State Union Office) |
| Energy Safe Victoria | Licensing and Regulatory | Victoria |
| Hydrogen & Clean Energy Branch | Licensing and Regulatory | NSW |
| Energy and Climate Minister’s office. | Licensing and Regulatory | National |
| Australian Pipelines and Gas Association | Employers and their representatives/peak bodies | National |
| State Training Authorities | The Commonwealth, state, and territory governments | National |
| The Commonwealth, State and Territory Governments | Licensing and Regulatory Bodies | As per each jurisdiction |
| RTOs and TAFE with the relevant training products on scope | Registered Training Organisation (RTO) | National |
| Jobs and Skills Councils | JSC | National |
