A center for boosting energy adoption in Kenya has been launched at the Paramount Chief Kinyanjui Technical Training Institute in Riruta Satellite Dagoreti constituency.
Addressing the press after the launch of the energy center, Schneider Electric East Africa President Ifeanyi Odoh, said that the center is aimed at providing solutions in renewable energy, driving innovation excellence in the energy field, and creating experiences in real-world scenarios while aiding in research work.
Odor noted that the energy adoption center at PC Kinyanjui Technical Training Institute is aimed at addressing the skills gap that has existed in energy efficiency for many years, adding that the center is going to train thousands of youth in Kenya so that they can go into various societies in Kenya to start fixing several energy-related challenges being experienced.
He noted that the center will equip the youth with energy efficiency skills so that they can replicate the skills in the various sectors of the economy in Kenya once they graduate from the institution.
“Energy efficiency simply means doing a lot more with your energy with less consumption of your energy,” echoed Schneider Electric East Africa President Ifeanyi Odoh.
Odoh further noted that nowadays many industries are under pressure to optimize everything that they do, and with energy efficiency, industries could benefit because they will be able to optimize their cost of production, which translates to more affordable products.
He further hinted that many industries and firms in Kenya and Africa at large are currently facing energy waste, and this is highly linked to the energy efficiency skills gap.
“By integrating the full capability of digitalization and energy efficiency, KPLC is able to mitigate losses in their networks, optimise their revenue, and reach many people,” said Schneider Electric East Africa President Ifeanyi Odoh.
French Ambassador Arnaud Suquet noted that the need to launch renewable energy and energy efficiency equipment for the Center of Excellence at P.C. Kinyanjui TTI is because Kenya is well positioned to explore renewable energy.
The ambassador at the same time urged the P.C. Kinyanjui TTI administration to ensure that they are developing their curricula together with industry partners.
“Ensure that you are developing the curricula in collaboration with industry partners as well as training the trainees in partnership with industry partners. If we do all these without industry partners, we will go nowhere,” noted the French ambassador, Arnaud Suquet.
The principal secretary of the State Department for Technical, Vocational Education and Training, Dr. Esther Thaara Muoria, whose speech was read by State Department for TVET Director Administration Joyce Mwale, said that the renewable energy and energy efficiency center launched at P.C. Kinyanjui TTI is timely and will help trainees acquire renewable energy and energy efficiency skills that will help them not only acquire jobs in Kenya but also in the global markets.
“I am reliably informed that if the equipment is well utilised, the skills acquired by the trainees will enable them to compete for job vacancies internationally. The equipment has come at a time when the Ministry of Education is promoting the Competency Based Education and Training (CBET) curriculum, which advocates for 70% practical and 30% theory,” said the PS.
The renewable energy and energy efficiency equipment at P.C. Kinyanjui was donated by the Schneider Electric Foundation in France with the assistance from the French Embassy and Schneider Electric Kenya at a cost of 100,974.44 euros.
In order to ensure that the youth in Kenya learn and speak French when they obtain jobs in French-speaking countries worldwide, the French Embassy has already equipped the French language center at P.C. Kinyanjui TTI with adequate learning materials and will soon be deploying an expert to train the youth in this area.
By Justus Anzaya
