EIT InnoEnergy, an innovation engine for sustainable energy supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, an EU body, has announced the launch of the InnoEnergy Skills Institute. The initiative, which will provide significant levels of training and development for industries evolving in line with the energy transition, has attracted NIIT, a leading global talent development corporation, to expand the offering with the aim of reaching more than 800,000 workers by 2025.
The InnoEnergy Skills Institute is an evolution of EIT InnoEnergy’s highly successful European Battery Alliance (EBA) Academy, expanding to also include green hydrogen and solar photovoltaic (PV) value chains. Its flexible, modular approach to learning will deliver the latest trends and learning with customizable, adaptable courses and programs that meet specific needs regardless of location, size or technology. More people benefiting from industry-leading training is a vital step in equipping the global workforce with the knowledge and experience needed to decarbonise the energy economy.
NIIT was selected as a strategic partner in InnoEnergy Skills Institute’s training services, providing services including adaptation, creating a learning journey, training teaching staff and ensuring attention to local nuances of training. The main objective of the partnership is to leverage NIIT’s presence and capabilities as a global leader in talent development to rapidly scale and create highly skilled and certified human capital essential for a rapid transition to green energy.
The InnoEnergy Skills Institute will take advantage of NIIT’s global reach and infrastructure, ensuring it can roll out services at pace and scale, accelerating learning across Europe, North America and Asia. NIIT and EIT InnoEnergy will work together on thought leadership initiatives as part of the strategic relationship. The transition to net zero will require the retraining of up to 18 million workers worldwide. For example, between 2015 and 2030, the number of solar PV jobs is expected to quadruple. As 2023 marks the EU Year of Skills, the launch coincides with wider government initiatives to address growing concerns about preparing the workforce for the future.
Oana Penu, director of the InnoEnergy Skills Institute, said: “Industries central to the energy transition will see a dramatic increase in the need for new skills and expertise to drive progress. In fact, in the battery workforce alone, more than 700 new job types will come into play as the required skill sets greatly diversify. So it’s no surprise that 71% of CEOs now cite skills shortages as their most serious business challenge. We are dedicated to supporting the green innovations of the future and providing a trained workforce to meet climate goals. Our strategic partnership with NIIT will leverage its leadership in global talent development to help make this a reality.”
EIT InnoEnergy’s leadership role in key industry alliances spanning power, storage, green hydrogen and photovoltaics means it is ideally placed to accelerate the upskilling of energy industry workers. Through the InnoEnergy Skills Institute, businesses, universities and training providers can benefit from courses supported by a range of industry experts, alliances and partnerships.
Sailesh Lala, Chief Business Officer at NIIT, added: “We are delighted to support EIT InnoEnergy with its latest advancements in training and development. Decarbonization is the next industrial revolution, leading to an unprecedented demand for skilled cleantech professionals. With this partnership, we are launching a key green energy skills initiative. With EIT InnoEnergy’s expertise and industry knowledge and NIIT’s leadership in the education services sector, our aim is to ensure that the InnoEnergy Skills Institute is recognized as a leading destination and thought leader for decarbonisation and green skills in Europe, North America and Asia. With the combined strengths of both companies, we aim to create a world-leading solution to the burning need for upskilling and reskilling across industries to create a flexible workforce that is adaptable to changing demands.”
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The Spring 2023 issue of Energy Global
The Spring 2023 issue of Energy Global contains a range of technical articles focusing on offshore wind energy, solar technology, energy storage, green hydrogen, energy from waste and more. This issue also includes a regional report on the raw materials challenges facing Asia’s energy transition.