Renewable energy skills development agency Nepoworx Renewable Energy Institution (Nepoworx) and the Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services Sector Education and Training Authority have signed a memorandum of agreement (MoA) to implement a nationwide green skills programme.

The programme is targeted at unemployed youth and is designed to train them as solar photovoltaic (PV) service technicians, capable of being employed thereafter, either at PV plants or to conduct rooftop solar PV installations.

Upon the completion of the programme, qualified learners will be able to plan, design and install a PV system.

As part of the training, the participants will also learn about the operation and maintenance of such a system to ensure its continued operation.

The programme is important to build the required solar PV skills capacity that is critical to implement South Africa’s plans to ramp up the generation of electricity and to enable businesses and households to invest in rooftop solar.

Nepoworx CEO Nonjabulo Sokhela says Nepoworx’s programme will be a catalyst towards alleviating the challenges of a “staggering” youth unemployment rate and the persisting energy supply shortages.

“As an institution, we advocate for a Just Transition that is focused on social inclusion and the creation of decent work and quality jobs,” she adds.

Nepoworx says that, because of the recent removal of the licensing threshold for new embedded generation projects, and the imminent introduction of net metering by a number of municipalities, there will be increased demand for solar PV technicians.

Therefore, the company says, it is important that the youth are capacitated to take advantage of such opportunities.

The programme will encompass knowledge, practical and work experience components. During the work experience component, participants will gain the requisite exposure needed to qualify as solar PV technicians, which will assist them in securing employment in the renewable energy sector.

“We, therefore, call on renewable energy independent power producers, advisory companies, engineering procurement and construction companies, operations and maintenance companies and solar PV installation companies to collaborate with us in providing work exposure to the learners enrolled into the programme,” says Sokhela.

The programme complements the recent announcement by Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe that a Section 34 Ministerial determination will be published to accelerate the procurement of renewables capacity in accordance with the Integrated Resource Plan of 2019.

This determination speaks to the procurement of 14 400 MW of wind and 6 000 MW of utility-scale solar PV by 2030.

“The programme will unlock job opportunities in the renewable energy sector.

“Nepoworx’s mission is to develop green skills that are required to contribute towards the implementation of renewable energy targets under the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme and private-sector-led embedded generation renewable energy projects,” she says.