Schneider Electric to Train One Million Youths in Energy Management

By Adedapo Adesanya 

Schneider Electric has embarked on a mission to empower youths for a sustainable energy future with a commitment to train one million youths in energy management and industrial automation by 2025.  

According to the United Nations, more than 1.8 billion people aged between 10 and 24 years account for 1 in 6 people worldwide, and almost 90 per cent of them live in developing countries.  Therefore, there is an urgency to equip young people with relevant and upgradable skills to become the next generation of energy leaders. 

Speaking to journalists, the Access to Education Coordinator of Schneider Electric for Nigeria, Ms Funmilayo Olakitan, drew attention to Schneider Electric’s mission alignment with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“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.” 

In commitment to achieving this goal in Nigeria, Funmilayo Olakitan highlighted some of the recently signed partnerships, “A recent stride towards achieving this goal is our collaboration with the Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board (LASTVEB). LASTVEB has a  curriculum they operate for training, and in partnership with Schneider Electric, our aim is 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 said.  

Reflecting on Schneider Electric’s empowerment mission, the Marketing Communications Manager at Schneider Electric West Africa, Ms Omobolanle Omotayo, said, “We created the electricians training programme and equipped 300 unemployed youths, in partnership with the National Power Training  Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN), and the French Development Agency (AFD), to improve the quality of domestic and commercial electrical installations.”

Significant collaboration between Schneider Electric and the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur International Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) was made, resulting in a solar training program tailored for underprivileged Nigerians across three training centres: Railway Technical Institute (RTI), Yaba College of Technology, and ETIWA Vocational Training School.  

Speaking further on partnerships with institutions on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), Ms Olakitan said, “Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) has remained central to Schneider Electric’s efforts.

“We have collaborated with Covenant University, University of Lagos, Don Bosco Ghana, and Village Exchange Ghana to transfer expertise to students who want to  acquire training in sustainable energy solutions.”