Educating future energy professionals by investing in digital training
- By Gilles Vermot Desroches
- 09 Oct 2024
- 5 min read
As the world transitions towards sustainable energy solutions and increased automation, the demand for skilled professionals in the electricity sector grows more pressing with the transition towards sustainable energy solutions.
Nearly 67 million people were employed in the energy sector in 2022, according to the International Energy Agency’s World Energy Employment 2023 report.
With the demand for such skills growing, digital learning is emerging as a vital solution to bridge the skills gap. Online learning is the fastest growing market in the education industry, having grown 900% since inception in 2000.
Learning supported by technology can play a pivotal role in addressing educational disparities and extend learning opportunities to remote and underserved communities.
Schneider Electric provides accessible and affordable education in energy and electricity to as many students as possible through our eLearning platform, Schneider University. The Program includes a variety of modular courses designed to cover essential topics in the energy and automation sectors.
Currently offered under Home and Building Installation are three modules that are available in Chinese, English, French and Spanish. Module 1 is essentially a course for ‘Learning the basics of electricity’. This foundational course serves as a vital starting point for building a solid knowledge of electrical circuits and their applications.
Module 2 focusses to ‘Apply safety rules’ and expands on the safety rules associated with electricity. While Module 3, ‘Choosing professional equipment tools, materials and products’, guides learners on the entire equipment ecosystem of an electrician.
Schneider University, the platform for the Digital Learning Modules, provides a comprehensive eLearning experience tailored to the energy and automation sectors. With a user-centric approach, learners can engage in self-paced education and explore mobile learning opportunities.
This marks the initial phase of our journey to achieve an inclusive learning strategy. We aim to cover all energy transition related topics including decarbonization, industry 4.0, energy efficiency and digital energy for buildings and homes, microgrids.
Schneider offers distinctive and pertinent experiences in virtual and augmented reality tailored to the constantly changing technological environment, which makes practical online training possible. It makes training more engaging, and virtual immersions enable better knowledge retention and increased learning efficiency. The Schneider Ecostruxure XR Operator Advisor (XROA) software allows the creation of virtual twins of electrical equipment, electrical labs or professional situations to train students via digital devices. Students are provided hands-on learning opportunities as they are learning via virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality.
As young people grapple with navigating the green skills economy, Schneider is unpacking critical sustainability issues for a broader audience through our webinar series. Together with the UN’s International Trade Centre (ITC), we are staging a ‘Sustainability Masterclass Webinar Series’ for youth. The series will cover a range of topics including the circular economy and concrete applications of this, how to become an impact maker and an overview of empowering women in the energy transition.
Schneider also aims to expand learners’ horizons through virtual factory tours and virtual reality applications which enrich the learning experience. Through virtual tours students anywhere in the world can get a glimpse of the realities of the sector. Without having to physically be there they can learn more about various job profiles, daily routines and how these professionals are making a tangible impact on the environment.
The virtual tour of the Privas Plant, for example, opens its doors to students, showing them how the circular industry is revolutionizing the product life cycle. Students can also virtually “walk through’ the Carros factory which offers a glimpse into how we are increasing female representation in industrial fields. The Vaudreuil factory virtual visit uncovers new technologies and Industry 4.0.
These tours are designed to foster an interest in the field of energy among young people through gamification and interactive experiences.
Our complimentary courses are available online as we want to reach as many youths, who wish to join energy related fields, as possible.
Together with our global and local partners our eLearning offering aims to ensure that the workforce is well-prepared for the evolving demands of the energy sector.
We’ve partnered with the United Nations' (UN) branch, International Trade Centre (ITC) and the NGO Atelier21 on a free digital training course ‘Become a Player in the Energy Transition’. This course invites students to explore a two-pronged approach towards energy sustainability, through the adoption of renewable energy sources and a more efficient use of the energy already produced.
In India, Schneider Electric partnered with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH to increase the number of qualified and skilled workers in the energy sector. The cooperation runs under the framework of the develoPPP funding programme, which GIZ implements on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The aim of this public-private partnership is to increase the supply of industry-ready and employable skilled workers by upgrading the quality of the practical training. Focus is placed on solar technician and electrician jobs at public and private vocational training institutes in India. The future-oriented training programme includes simulation-based practical training sessions which complement the current courses offered at the Institutional Training Institutes (ITIs).
Then, through Nomad Education we offer our Home and Building Installation modules to learners in French speaking countries. This partnership has not only expanded our reach but has provided valuable tools for student learning, including concise texts that summarize the courses.
We have two theses supporting the development and the deployment of our digital training initiatives. The first thesis, conducted in collaboration with the Laboratoires de Recherches (LARAC), focuses on improving the efficiency of digital learning. This includes testing digital learning methods in vocational training centers in China and Indonesia and enhancing the quality of feedback.
The second thesis, in partnership with Paris Nanterre, aims to evaluate the impact of digital learning on the energy transition and economic development in India. This research seeks to identify the gap between education policy and energy transition goals in India, and then assess the impact of digital learning on green skills and employability.
With a strong emphasis on sustainability and impact, all the courses and curriculum are complimentary, aligning with Schneider Electric's corporate social responsibility goals of nurturing young talent in the energy field.
Through collaboration with expert instructors and industry partners and by providing industry-relevant education through its eLearning platform, Schneider Electric strives to expand avenues for skill development and nurture a highly competent and future-proofed workforce within energy transition.
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