RETTI Launches Online Courses on Solar
Investment in the solar sector hit a peak of $330 billion in 2015.
This was expected as climate change impacts continue to ravage communities due to the use of fossil fuels for electricity. This adds to the increase of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide to the atmosphere enhancing the dangerous climate change.
Solar power for electricity use has proven to be a sustainable and cleaner form of electricity because it comes from an abundant and natural resource which is the sun.
On the other side, 600 million people in Africa have no access to electricity. Out of this, Nigeria has the largest number of people globally without access to Electricity at 93 million people.
This has led to global attention in Africa subsequently leading to increased investment to develop solar powered plants for electricity.
However, this increased investment has led to a new problem. There aren’t enough trained local content or people skilled in solar energy design, installation, marketing who will work with the companies that have received these investment opportunities.
To fill the gap currently existent in the capacity building arm of the renewable energy sector, a company based in Lagos, Nigeria the Renewable Energy Technology Training institute (RETTI) have been working since 2018 to train, groom and mentor new engineers and entrepreneurs for the solar sector. So far they have trained 650 young people who have gone on to become solar PV designers, installers, marketing and sales agents, repair and maintenance professionals and have created their own businesses or working with solar companies.
To help their solution reach a larger number of Nigerians they have just launched an online course platform . which has provided access to target courses for different niches in the Solar industry. The new courses include but not limited to: How to Design and Size your solar system; How to Install Solar Panels on the Rooftop; How to Start a Profitable Solar Business; How to Maintain and Troubleshoot your Solar Installation;Solar PV Economics, Entrepreneurship, Marketing and Sales and Solar System Safety and Protection.
Course Features
– All courses are detailed, takes one through a step-by-step process and guide to ensure easy comprehension.
– All courses are video courses and very hands-on therefore enabling the participants retain the knowledge that has been passed across.
– Participants can easily log in anytime to access the course. The self-paced course allows the participants to pause or rewind and get back to the video anytime they have an enquiry.
– It is a lifetime resource helping the participants to become a professional in the renewable energy industry.
– At the end of each course participant receives a certificate which they could use to get a job in a solar company or to work as an intern.
– Participant is able to start their solar business with knowledge gained from the course and with after training support provided by the institute.
RETTI did not stop there. It has created a very robust alumni association where they work with each graduate to see that they establish in the sector. Through their Growth Support Plan (GSP) initiative they continually upskill graduates of the course with more information and knowledge as they strive to become a solar professional.
When they start their businesses or begin jobs in solar companies, participants encounter outside and everyday real challenges. The GSP initiatives help them overcome the problems they experience by sharing solutions and updated skills development training all at no extra cost.
Founder and CEO of RETTI, Ms. Glory Oguegbu, says “our goal is really to support each participant get established in the industry. This is our major goal. We don’t just want to train, we also want to be a part of their success story. We train them and then work with them step by step to ensure that they reach their goal either to get a job in a solar company or to start their own solar business. For either of their desire we help them articulate their goals, support them as they develop their business plans, share resources for business development with them, opportunities for funding, job interview preparations and provide solutions to specific trainings for areas where they need help,” she said
“In this way we have supported 105 members of our alumni start their own viable renewable energy businesses and working with solar companies. Collectively, they have installed up to 205 KVA solar electricity to more than 1750 homes and businesses hoping to offset up to 970, 000 tons of carbon dioxide,” she concluded.
Sources: thisdaylive
