By Mashe Umaru Gwamna
The Council for the Regulation for Engineering in Nigeria( COREN) has launched National Clean Energy Skills Certification for young professionals in Nigeria.
Speaking at the launched recently in Abuja, COREN President Engr. Rabiu Ali disclosure that, the Nigeria Energy support programme scheme was in collaboration with Nigeria Energy Support Programme (NESP), European Union and the German federal ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development( BMZ) and Implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft fur International Zusammenarbeit(GIZ)GmbH in collaboration with the Ministry of power.
Engr.Ali explained that, the aim is to provide young Nigeria professionals with necessary skills for a career in clean energy sector.
He said Nigeria has serious issue of power in the country and what this means,is that what so ever sources of energy, we can be adopted,we have to encourage it .
“ This is why we discovered that clean energy skills can be easily adopted in this country to solve power problem.
“We are planning to certify as many as we can but today we are just certifying about just twelve (12) professionals. But going forward we are planning to be certifying as many as we can. Because of the important of power in our country we have to grow businesses, industries and without power this is not achievable.”
“The rapid investments in infrastructure developments particularly cost-effective investments in power and urban road transportation and data-driven technologies has led to the demand for new engineering skills.
“Thus, the need for skills certification which will play a pivotal role in shoring up market confidence and enhance employability”.
Giving more insight, the president said that renewable energy are a lot more cheaper and it is virtually free.
“Compared to renewable energy and other sources we are using,definitely renewable energy is more cheaper”,he said.
Also speaking,President of Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Engr Babagana Mohammed, said that going forward now with this initiative we are going to have sophisticated personnel who will manage our critical sector.
“With this initiative we are going to be educated on so many things, a lot of skills will come in.
“A lot of people will have something to do and quackery will be a thing of the past. It is going to be a long process but it is a good thing that it is starting now,”.
On her part, the head of section, Green and Digital Economy at the EU Delegation to and ECOWAS, Ms Enga Stefanowicz, said the EU’s support was towards enhancing skills development in the sector.
Stefanowicz noted that providing skills development opportunities to the young Nigerian professionals is critical for their employability or entrepreneurship potential, ultimately contributing to the growth and diversification of the economy.
She emphasized that, the European Union is committed to supporting the federal government of Nigeria in developing the potential in the Skills Certification Scheme.
The Country Director of GIZ Nigeria & ECOWAS, Ms Ina Hommers, assured that the collaboration between NESP and COREN is a welcome development in the industry with the strategic objective of enhancing the skills of the current and aspiring young Nigerian professionals in the energy sector.
It would recall that the National Clean Energy Skills Certification, was introduced during the first phase of NESP in 2017, and is aimed at providing young Nigerian professionals with the necessary skills for a career in the energy sector.
