The second cohort of the Solar Youth Project has completed intensive eight-week training and is ready to take on the next stage, which is 10 months of work experience.
This is according to the Green Solar Academy, outlining the progress it is making in providing solar technical skills to South African youth.
It notes the first group of trainees has returned for their final round of assessments, bringing their year-long solar training journey full circle.
The organisation points out that now the pressure is on to find host companies in the solar industry that are willing to take on these ambitious young interns, and ideally, provide long-term employment.
Developed in partnership between Life Choices and Green Solar Academy, the Solar Youth Project is a programme designed to close the gap between South Africa’s youth unemployment crisis and the country’s need for skilled solar technicians.
“The need for trained talent in the solar sector is enormous – and we’re providing it,” says Amanda Dzivhani, COO of Green Solar Academy. “But unless these young people are absorbed into the workforce, we’re only winning half the battle.”
The Solar Youth Project is not a government programme but a privately-driven initiative founded on over 20 years of experience in technical education and youth development, says the company.
Green Solar Academy notes the training model is simple but effective – eight weeks of blended technical and soft skills training, followed by a 10-month structured internship with a solar company. The programme culminates in a final round of training and assessment to consolidate the learning and prepare the interns for permanent employment, it adds.
Participants, aged 22 to 28, all hold N4–N6 electrical engineering qualifications from TVET colleges and have undergone training aligned with the South African Institute of Electrical Engineers, the South African Photovoltaic Industry Association and DGS (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Sonnenenergie) standards.
The technical content is built on the Green Solar Academy’s internationally-accredited curriculum.
“These young people have the qualifications, the hands-on training and the drive,” says Vuyo Ntlangu, impact pathways manager at Life Choices, a youth development organisation based in Cape Town. “What they need now is the opportunity to show what they’re capable of.”
“We’re not just creating interns – we’re producing well-rounded, work-ready junior solar technicians,” says Ryan Geel, campus director at Life Choices. “And we’re looking for forward-thinking companies to help us turn that training into careers.”
In a country where youth development is often more slogan than solution, the academy says the Solar Youth Project stands out as a rare example of action over promises.
“Everyone’s talking about youth training – we’re doing it,” says Antje Klauss-Vorreiter, CEO of Green Solar Academy. “And it’s happening in Cape Town, at Life Choices Academy in Lansdowne, where professionals and youth train under the same roof, with the same high standards.”
Life Choices Academy in Cape Town is also the implementing partner of Green Solar Academy’s professional training, one of 13 green academies across Africa. The organisation points out that the co-location means the same trainers who teach professional installers also lead the technical training for the youth, ensuring quality, relevance and consistency.
It notes this academy is also open to professionals looking to upskill through short, accredited courses in PV system design, installation and compliance.
Share