Schneider Electric has committed to training one million people in energy management and industrial automation by 2025 as part of a drive to prepare young people for a future powered by sustainable energy.
Funmilayo Olakitan, Schneider Electric’s Nigerian Access to Education Coordinator, noted that the initiative is in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), noting that nearly 90% of the world’s population, or more than 1.8 billion people, between the ages of 10 and 24 live in developing nations.
To prepare the future generation of energy leaders, it is vital to provide young people with relevant and upgradeable skills.
“Schneider Electric’s youth empowerment mission aligns with the two Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Quality Education, and Decent Work and Economic Growth, this strategic alignment reinforces the company’s dedication to fostering long-lasting impact through education and meaningful employment opportunities, “A recent stride towards achieving this goal is our collaboration with the Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board (LASTVEB) that has a curriculum they operate for training and in partnership with Schneider Electric, we aim to train 5000 youths in five years.”
“Similarly, a partnership was recently signed with the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO) to train over 1800 youths in five years,” she added.
According to Omobolanle Omotayo, Marketing Communications Manager, Schneider Electric West Africa, the company developed the electricians training program and equipped 300 unemployed youths in collaboration with the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN) and the French Development Agency (AFD) to raise the caliber of residential and commercial electrical installations. She was speaking about Schneider Electric’s empowerment mission.
She mentioned that a solar training program designed for underprivileged Nigerians was created as a result of a partnership between Schneider Electric and the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) at three training facilities: the Railway Technical Institute (RTI), Yaba College of Technology, and ETIWA Vocational Training School.
Olakitan added that the collaborations with Covenant University, University of Lagos, Don Bosco Ghana, and Village Exchange Ghana have assisted in preparing students who desire to pursue training in sustainable energy solutions.
