Inauguration of Schneider Electric India Foundation’s Solar Energy Training Center at Sri Sri University in Cuttack, Odisha

Spiritual guru, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar inaugurated Schneider Electric India Foundation’s Solar Energy Training Center at Sri Sri University in Cuttack, Odisha on the 22nd of August 2017. The inauguration took place after a convocation ceremony at the Sri Sri University which was attended by Honorable Union Minister for Human Resource Development, Mr Prakash Javadekar.  The Solar Energy Training Center has been set up by Schneider Electric India Foundation (SEIF) – the social commitment of Schneider Electric India – in partnership with Sri Sri Rural Development Programme (SSRDP) Trust. The centre will educate and empower the youth to propel the growth of renewable energy sector in India by providing pool of skilled resources.

With this, Schneider Electric now has six functional Renewable Energy Training Centres across India, others being at Vizag, New Delhi, Bhubaneswar and Bangalore. SEIF plans to set up three more Renewable Energy Training Centers in the next few months at Jaipur, Lucknow and Bangalore. Overall, the company has set up 251 training centres across India – including both – Basic Electrician Center as well as Renewable Energy Center – and has trained nearly 77,000 unemployed youth since the beginning of its electrician training program in 2009. In the solar sector, the company has trained 600 youth so far and plans to train another 1500 technicians by March 2018. Globally, the company plans to train one million youth, 10,000 trainers and support 10,000 entrepreneurs by 2025.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr.Venkat Garimella, Vice President- Strategy & Alliance and CSR, Schneider Electric stated, “We are extremely excited at the commissioning of this centre in partnership with the SSRDP and extend our gratitude to Mr. Prakash Javadekar, the hon’ble minister and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar for being a part of this. We recognize the importance of training in the renewable energy sector, which is a sector with immense potential. Lack of trained resources with relevant skills to construct and operate solar plants is an existing gap and ongoing challenge within India’s workforce. This skill gap is increasingly recognized as a barrier to realize the country’s renewable energy targets. Through our partnership with Sri Sri Rural Development Programme (SSRDP) Trust, we are keen to address the skill gap in the renewable energy sector and support the government’s efforts towards skill development.”

This is the second Renewable Energy Training Centre set up by SEIF in partnership with SSRDP, the first one being at Bangalore. SEIF started its partnership with SSRDP in 2013. SEIF has partnered with SSRDP for 18 basic electrician training centers and 2 solar training centers. Sri Sri Rural Development Program Trust is a registered Trust under the Indian Public Trust Act having Office in Art of Living International Center in Udaipura, Bangalore. SSRDP aims to educate and empower the rural community in India by helping villagers to become self-sufficient, self-reliant and self-confident, and runs several programs to empower rural communities.