Schneider Electric Vietnam opens “Green Electrician” Lab

This lab will be used to train local youth within the framework of the project “Green Electrician, Education in Electricity for Employment” which aims to improve vocational training in the energy industry in Vietnam.

This project focuses on technical and vocational education in electricity, sustainable energy management and entrepreneurship. The training programmes are directed towards local youths to help them gain access to stable employment opportunities. With state-of-the-art facility at the new lab, each year a minimum of 500 students are expected to get hands-on experience on energy training.

“Schneider Electric believes that access to energy is a basic human right, and we are committed to put safe, reliable, efficient and sustainable energy within reach of every one,” Yoon Young Kim, country president of Schneider Electric Vietnam, Myanmar and Cambodia, said at the opening ceremony. “Currently in Vietnam, there are 1.4 million technicians entering the labour force each year, but only 15 per cent of them have formal vocational training, which could lead to energy inefficiencies and electrical safety issues. This lab is testament of Schneider’s collaboration with like-minded local partners who share the same vision and who want to make a difference.”

To build teaching capabilities under the project’s criteria and requirements, Schneider Electric and ASSIST will train the teachers of Ly Tu Trong Technical College by the end of this year and the students will start their first courses in January 2017. As part of the project, a promotional campaign will be run in 2017 to create awareness and promote this vocational training programme.

"The “Green Electrician" is one more success on the list of such co-operations between European companies and DEG in Vietnam. The funds for co-financing this Green Electrician project came from the develoPPP.de-programme of DEG. The programme encourages entrepreneurial commitment which achieves a particular development sustainability and broad effect. To date DEG has realised 53 develoPPP.de projects in Vietnam providing 10 million euros of develoPPP.de funds,” said Daniela Söhngen - Senior Investment Manager of DEG. “The idea behind is to promote private-sector initiatives that drive development. The project with Schneider Electric is a great concept that shows how entrepreneurial interest and developmental aims can complement each other perfectly.”