Sahara Foundation Partners ETC To Boost Youth Employability Through Capacity Building

Sahara Foundation recently partnered with the Energy Training Centre (ETC) and Renewable Energy Association of Nigeria (REAN) to envision and implement the inaugural Sahara Regenerator Technical Programme –a Sahara Foundation initiative to provide employability skills for youth in their host communities of Lagos, Edo, and Rivers State and close clearly identified skill gaps in those areas.

The Regenerator Technical Programme is aimed at building additional capacity across two critical areas; capacity for Meter Installer Technicians to support the Federal Government’s mandate to all Distribution Companies regarding Metering all customers.

Secondly, the Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Technician program to support the Federal Governments Electrification Agenda and Economic Sustainability Plan through the installation of five million solar home systems in underserved and off-grid communities across the country.

Through equipping youth (especially those without formal education) with these high-demand skills, over a hundred immediate beneficiaries will be provided with world class certified knowledge, skills and resources needed to build sustainable businesses and become employers of labour.

ETC in its capacity as the technical partner for the SRTP Program will deliver hands-on practical training and provide certification for the trained Installers.

This training will provide participants with the necessary technical skills for employment as Meter Installers currently needed in large numbers in the power sector to help achieve the aim to get all electricity consumers metered through the National Mass Metering Programme (NMMP).

The Solar PV technician training program has been supported through GIZ’s NESP’s capacity development program which trained the Facilitators.

GIZ is a German development agency working with partners such as ETC to build capacity in the Renewable Energy sector.

Speaking during the program, the President of REAN, Mr. Segun Adaju commended Sahara Foundation and Energy Training Centre for taking on such a laudable initiative.

He further said the program is filling a major gap in the industry by ensuring that there are well-trained Solar Installers who are certified and meet international standards.

He called on other organizations to come in and train Installers, Engineers, and Supervisors to become technically capable.

The Managing Director, Energy Training Centre, Ibiene Okeleke charged the participants to go out to the field and be different and set themselves apart by putting into practice all that has been learned during the training.

While thanking Sahara Foundation for the program, she also highlighted the need to have more women take up the challenge in the power sector and encouraged the female trainees to step up and be counted.

Having formed a partnership with the Renewable Energy Association of Nigeria and held discussions with the Distribution Companies in the 3 selected related communities, the Solar Technician trainees will undertake a two (2) weeks apprenticeship with key industry players to connect these technicians to institutions where their skills are required.