UNDP To Train Syrians & Turks For Renewable Energy

• UNDP has set up 5 new renewable energy laboratories in Turkey in partnership with the Turkish Ministry of National Education
• These labs will train 100s of Syrian refugees and their Turkish peers in solar and wind energy sector
• Certification from the Lifelong Learning Department of the National Education Ministry of Turkey will be provided to the pass outs

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has set up 5 new renewable energy laboratories in Turkey where it plans to train 100s of Syrian refugees and Turkish denizens in skills related to jobs in the solar and wind energy sector of the country.

Set up in partnership with the Turkish Ministry of National Education and $2.2 million funding from the Republic of Korea, the initiative aims to improve job prospects for refugees and their Turkish hosts. Renewable energy laboratories have been set up in the 5 provinces of Bursa, Hatay, Mersin, Kocaeli and Konya, selected for their renewable energy potential and presence of large number of refugees.

According to the UNDP, the new labs will train at least 500 Syrians and Turkish peers who will complete the course by March 2022, with 1/4^th of them women. They will be trained in manufacture, installation and maintenance of solar and wind power systems which forms part of a new 24×7 curriculum customized for the program. Pass outs will receive certification from the Lifelong Learning Department of the National Education Ministry.

Along with theoretical learning, the labs will also provide hands-on training as these are equipped with solar panels, wind turbines, automation systems, electrical and electronics infrastructure and occupational health and safety equipment. These centers will also serve as a research and development resources for local universities, private sector and civil society, it added.

"Training people to work in Turkey's renewable sector is an investment in a green future," said UNDP Resident Representative Louisa Vinton. "This initiative will help Syrian refugees and their Turkish hosts gain the skills they need to find good jobs and support their families while giving a boost to an emerging economic sector with a growing need for skilled labor."

In addition to the $1.7 million funding allocated for 2019 and 2020, an additional $500,000 has been granted to scale up the activities to more provinces and beneficiaries in 2022.

UNDP further added that this project is part of its $75 million program to improve livelihoods for Syrian refugees and their host communities, aimed at promoting social cohesion.