Schneider Electric to help train underprivileged youths in energy industries

Global energy management and automation specialist, Schneider Electric, has signed a partnership with the General Council of the Salesian Congregation to train underprivileged youths in the field of energy. The deal represents a 2 million euro investment, and will fund five renewable energy and sustainable development projects selected from proposals made by numerous Salesian technical and professional schools worldwide.

Cooperation between the two organisations began 15 years ago. Don Luigi Enrico Peretti, Director-General of CNOS-FAP, said: “Our collaboration with Schneider Electric is very solid because it is based on the same principles and vision of humanity. We share a view of development that promotes improvements in young people’s personal and social lives before focusing on technology and structures. This mirrors the spirit of Don Bosco, the father of a form of spirituality rooted in education and work, while enabling human and social sustainable development.”

“Training technicians and entrepreneurs in the electrical and energy fields is a major priority for sustainable development in several emerging regions,” added Gilles Vermot Desroches, Sustainability SVP at Schneider Electric. “Schneider Electric is proud to work alongside the Salesians for skills development and access to employment through this training program for local trainers and students from underprivileged backgrounds. This new partnership will be key to helping us reach our objective of training 1 million people by 2025.”

As a first step, five projects have been identified in India, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mozambique, Haiti and Southern Italy. The aim is to help provide young unprivileged people with opportunities while promoting a sustainable way of life:

• In Goma in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Ngagi Professional Training Center’s project will provide theoretical and practical training to students from poor families. In addition, solar panels will be installed in the training center to generate electricity and improve working conditions.
• In Pinguli, Kudal in India, electrical lab tools will be upgraded at the local vocational center.
• In Haiti, training will be set up for teachers, new laboratory and student equipment will be purchased, and a new electricity generation system will be created.
• The same applies in Maputo, Mozambique, where the student and teacher training program will be updated in the field of energy.
• Finally, in Sicily, innovation 4.0 classes will be launched in electricity, electronics and renewable energies.