Bridging talent gaps for a sustainable green hydrogen ecosystem: lessons from Chile

Purpose The transition towards green hydrogen requires more than technological innovation and renewable resources; it also depends on governance mechanisms capable of developing, coordinating and sustaining the human capabilities needed for emerging industrial ecosystems. This study aims to examine the human talent governance challenges affecting the sustainable development of the green hydrogen ecosystem in Chile’s Tarapacá Region and investigates how coordinated action among government, industry, educational institutions and other regional stakeholders can strengthen human capital as a strategic enabler of the energy transition. Design/methodology/approach A mixed-methods research design was adopted, integrating descriptive analysis of secondary data from official reports, educational databases and labour market information with qualitative evidence obtained through intersectoral workshops, stakeholder surveys and semi-structured interviews conducted within the corporación de fomento de la producción (CORFO) project Development of the Green Hydrogen and Derivatives Ecosystem in Tarapacá (Project 24BP-272099). Methodological triangulation and stakeholder triangulation enhanced the robustness and credibility of the findings. Findings The analysis identified 18 critical human talent governance gaps, consolidated into six interrelated governance domains: training and certification, learning infrastructure, governance and labour market intelligence, inclusion and early talent development, critical occupational profiles and transversal skills and workforce well-being and psychosocial sustainability. Stakeholder evidence indicates that the principal barriers extend beyond workforce shortages and are associated with weaknesses in institutional coordination, capability development and ecosystem governance. Building upon these findings, this study proposes a systemic human talent governance framework comprising four interdependent governance functions: intersectoral governance, occupational intelligence and evaluation, capability building and linkage and inclusion. Research limitations/implications This study is based on a single regional case, which supports analytical rather than statistical generalization. Future research should validate the proposed framework through comparative and longitudinal studies across different institutional and geographical contexts. Practical implications The findings provide evidence-based guidance for policymakers, educational institutions, industry leaders and regional development agencies by identifying strategic interventions – including certification systems, labour market observatories, hydrogen training infrastructure, collaborative governance mechanisms and inclusive workforce development programmes – to strengthen human capital for the green transition. Social implications By emphasizing inclusion, lifelong learning, workforce well-being and collaborative governance, the proposed framework may support a more equitable and resilient energy transition while enhancing regional capacity to generate sustainable employment and social value. Originality/value This study advances the emerging literature on green hydrogen by shifting attention from workforce shortages towards human talent governance as a systemic capability underpinning sustainable industrial ecosystems. It contributes to human capital theory, innovation ecosystem theory and collaborative governance theory by conceptualizing workforce development as a coordinated, multi-actor governance process and by specifying how such governance operates when talent must be developed ahead of industrial demand. The proposed framework offers an analytically transferable conceptual foundation for analysing human talent governance in emerging green hydrogen ecosystems.