The EWSETA (Energy and Water Sector Education and Training Authority) is developing and implementing specialised renewable energy and water resource management training programmes, in a bid to align with industry needs and technological advancements. Among the courses in the pipeline are water works management, solar panel installation, wind turbine maintenance, and other green energy solutions.

The EWSETA Chief Executive Officer, Mpho Mookapele, engaged with media in Rosebank today, on the back of growing research that macroeconomic trends and technological advancements will continue to disrupt labour markets worldwide.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) last year revealed that 4.7 million more people were employed in clean energy globally in 2022, than in 2019. Concerns around the ‘green skills gap’, as it has become known, have been echoed by a recent report from LinkedIn which shows that only 1 in 8 employees globally possess one or more green skills.

“We don’t want to leave South Africa’s young people and workforce behind; it is important for businesses to share their skills plans with us, so that we can capacitate learners accordingly. Together with government and private entities we are collaborating to fast-track skills development initiatives that seek to upskill and reskill employees to meet the workforce demands of the changing energy and water sectors,” said Mookapele.

In the rapidly evolving energy sector, EWSETA currently develops qualifications that will respond to the gaps in the curriculum. The skills programmes that will be introduced include wind turbine operation, biogas installation, microgrid and battery energy storage operation, solar PV manufacture, design, and installation.

Mookapele said, “When the sector needs certain skills, we are committed to working together with industry to build these capabilities. Ultimately, we exist to ensure industries are successful.  As such we aim to move with agility to ensure that these programmes and qualifications are concluded and submitted for registration with OCTO and SAQA.”

Due to the boom in the photovoltaic sector, because of more people going solar, the SETA is also currently working with industry to ensure that minimum skills requirements are mandated for the PV Green Card training.  The South African PV Green Card is a quality assurance standard for solar PV installers, and it is hoped that these minimum requirements will mitigate against substandard installations.

The EWSETA is looking for partners that will enable retro-fitting technical workshops for TVET colleges, to ensure that they are responding to the tech-developments in the industry.

In the water sector, the EWSETA partners with water boards, municipalities, and private industries to develop water-related qualifications that aim to address the challenges around clean drinking water and wastewater treatment plants.

In response to the evolving water landscape, a Water Works Management NQF 6 qualification has been registered. EWSETA is in the process of developing a Water Resource Management qualification at NQF level 8 and a skills programme for a Water Conservation Practitioner.

Advances in water treatment processes will necessitate the development of qualifications that will respond to the future treatment landscape. These future technologies include biological water treatment and smart water grids, amongst others.

“As the world transitions to net zero, the traditional career landscape is changing, and it is up to all of us to future-proof our workforce. The Energy and Water Sector Education and Training Authority is taking strides to harness the opportunities that these exciting changes present,” concluded Mookapele.