Global specialist in energy management and automation, Schneider Electric, in a partnership with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, has selected three institutions to to create a solar training programme for young underprivileged Nigerians. Schneider and GIZ joint forces in a development partnership under the develoPPP.de programme of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

The beneficiary institutions will receive hands-on Training of Trainers in solar photo-voltaic installation supervision. They include Railway Technical Institute, the Yaba College of Technology and Etiwa Vocational School. The trainers will be exposed to an integrated curriculum developed by the Nigerian Energy Support Programme (NESP), co-funded by the European Union and the German Government and implemented by the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing. The selected trainers will attend a professional 4-week pedagogy training in Germany supported by GIZ and a 5-week technical training in Nigeria.

Announcing the training opportunities, Balaji Lenka, the Managing Director of Schneider Electric, stated that 11 trainers from each of the three selected institutions have been enrolled in a ‘Didactics and Teaching Methods for Adult Education’-Programme, organised by the Hessische Landesstelle für Technologiefortbildung in collaboration with GIZ. The event in Germany started on May 27th and will end on the June 23rd, 2018.

Commenting on the training, Viviane Mike-Eze, Field Manager of Schneider Electric, stated that the training would cover modules like education and vocational systems, lesson planning, instructional media, instructional methods, photovoltaic systems and field trips. “The programme is intended to help increase opportunities for trainees to become entrepreneurs in the field, foster self-sustenance and community development,” Viviane said.

She further added that the company would be working hand in hand with the NGO Rhealyz Green Network to ensure all operational activities for the successful implementation of the project would be properly handled.