Developing Capacities in the Area of VET for Green Energy Transition in Sub-Saharan Africa - project co-financed by EU funds under the Erasmus programme
The following organizations participated in the project: Central European Chamber of Commerce (Poland), Social View Kenya (Kenya), Horizon Institute for Research and Innovation (Rwanda), Horizon Institute of Entrepreneurship Development (Kenya), Fundacja Karibu (Poland), Higher Institute of Professional Development and Training (Cameroon), FORMAC (Poland), Puntland Technical University (Somalia), Nordic Diaspora Forum (Sweden)
The VET4GREEN project focuses on the needs of professional education providers and stakeholders in the green energy sector in Africa. Its main goal is to improve the day-to-day work of participating African organizations by providing knowledge and capacity building. The project highlights the need for a broad range of technical and fundamental skills to support the inclusion of the green transition in two global scenarios: the energy transition and the circular economy.
In this context, it is worth noting that only about 43% of the population in sub-Saharan Africa has access to electricity, according to data from the World Bank. Therefore, green energy is becoming a key element in the fight against energy poverty and climate change in the region.
Organizations from Africa are involved in cooperation under the project, to develop specific skills policies, shape appropriate vocational education and training (VET) and adapt training and active labor market programs to current and future needs in the energy sector.
The project lasted 2 years and was managed very effectively throughout this period. Both the coordinators and all participants in the project showed great commitment to the project and the tasks. A lot of people were involved in the project. There were project managers, NGO Workers, people involved in VET, experts, translators, technicians, IT, professors, students, business owners and many others. The cross-sector and cross-cultural collaboration is what made it possible to achieve the project's goals.
During the project period, many goals and successes were achieved by all those involved in the project. We consider one of the biggest of these to be the strong consortium that was established between representatives of African and European countries. It was established both during the online cooperation and during the study visit organised in Poland. During this visit, in addition to the opportunity to get to know each other in person, participants had the chance to exchange experiences and work together in workshops on project goals. The visit to Poland lasted 5 days and was attended by 21-23 people. During the visit, Polish institutions and schools working on the topic of green energy were visited. We visited InQube where a series of workshops took place. We have also visited one of the Polish VET schools wherewere our participants had a chance to exchange their knowledge and experiences with the school authorities. The last place visited was an NGO - Semper Avanti which every year supports around 2000 youngsters in the VET Erasmus+ projects. As a result, we met 3/8 indicators relating to the number of youth organisations, NGOs and VET centres participating in the project. Another indicator we received from this project was 96% satisfaction of participants. We received it during the survey we conducted after the study visit. This and a lot of other actions created a strong consortium that resulted in planned extra-curricular activities including a planned business visit of Polish representatives to African countries and some other study visits. Another project has also been submitted as a continuation of the current one, as well as many other related projects.
Throughout 2024, the VET4GREEN project successfully organized a series of International Online Training Courses and Online Workshops, led by experts, to equip VET providers, educators, and professionals from Europe and Africa with the necessary skills for the green energy sector. These sessions aimed to bridge skills gaps, align VET curricula with labor market needs and promote collaboration across continents. More than 100 participants took part in the Online Trainings, and satisfaction surveys indicate an average satisfaction of 5.3 on a 6-point scale. Key topics of Online Trainings included: Specificities of the green energy sector VETs, Labour market needs analysis for devising VETs, Planning VET courses and choosing course methodologies, Integrating the input from students and employers into the training courses, Teaching assessment tools for assessing the quality of the delivered courses. Participants had the unique opportunity to take part in hands-on activities, group work, and collaborative problem-solving, developing innovative strategies for green energy education as well as to make connections with others within industry which creates opportunities for them in the future. Most importantly, these facilitated cross-continental networking, encouraging knowledge exchange and establishing the foundation for long-term partnerships that will drive sustainable growth in the green economy.
We completed work-based training in green energy companies which was a success as it provided valuable hands-on experience for participants. They undertook one-month internships and apprenticeships arranged by African partners, who coordinated the on-the-job training within green energy companies across their countries. This opportunity allowed participants to apply their skills in real-world settings which enhanced their understanding of the sector and increased their employability. The work-based training not only benefited the participants by providing practical experience but also contributed to their professional growth and readiness for the green energy labor market.
Additionally, the project was supported by two Counsellors who provided valuable support throughout. Partners were able to turn to these experts for advice and insights which contributed to the project's overall success. Their expertise played a role in strengthening the capacity of all involved organizations.
Dissemination and communication were very successful. Both European and African Partners regularly shared posts on their social media (over 25) about the project and related content. Also, more than 5 pictures promoting the project have been published. Additionally, 300 flyers and brochures were printed and handed to the local communities. This has allowed for both increased awareness and understanding of green transition within the socialities and partners' teams. It has sparked discussions and encouraged knowledge sharing. Our African partners, through the project, have also established contacts with local green energy companies. The project also produced five articles summarising the research phase and promoting the project. These have been published on African countries' English-language social media. In the mentioned research phase, each of the African partners researched the prevailing situation in their country and then provided a cultural background and demand. As a result, we were able to further understand the purpose of our activities and focus on tailoring project implementation to the needs of the countries' communities. In addition, as part of the project, newsletters were created and shared to inform audiences of the project's progress. The preparation of two videos promoting the project was also successful. They present a summary of what we have achieved, promote our activities and are also a great souvenir that will remain long after the project.
As part of the project, we were also able to create two handbooks and VET teaching programs. Polish university professors and technicians participated in the process of creating these products. They created products in two languages, which were then printed and made available online. Based on the created materials, an online, user friendly platform was created. Either now as well as after the completion of the project, it will be available for interactive learning of the content presented in the handbooks and VET teaching programs.
The project has brought many short and long-term benefits, especially in terms of its impact on target groups. It raised their awareness of green energy and attracted their attention to the project. Our partners report to us a noticeably higher interest in the topic among their local community than before. They see this, for example, in the activity under social media posts. The established consortium is working together on new projects and deepening cooperation, submitting more projects together. The content presented in the manual and soon to be available also on the platform will enable easier development of competencies in the societies. For European partners, the project is a great opportunity to establish intercontinental cooperation, open up issues related to green energy on a wider scale, and engage a group of recipients from Africa in its activities. Such a broader, holistic view of the issue of green energy brings great benefits from the perspective of actions that ultimately involve not only Europeans but also people from all over the world.