Small island states are particularly vulnerable to climate change.In response to this common threat, agreener, resilientand more sustainable economy is a common goalfortheEnglish-speaking Caribbean.Countrieshave pledged tomitigate climate change andincreasethe share of electricity generated from renewable energy sources.While thisresolve is praiseworthy, the transition torenewable energy is hampered bythe need forqualified professionals.At least27,066renewableenergyprofessionalsare required tofulfill nationalclean energytargetsin these countries.This includes jobs in installation,operation and maintenance ofrenewableenergy infrastructuresuch assolarphotovoltaic (PV)power plants.
Renewable Energycan CreateJobs
The energy transition is probably the best job creation opportunity of any sector in the decades to come.Arecent study from the IDBestimated that a net-zero carbon emissions economy in Latin America and the Caribbean could create 15 million net jobs in the next decade. The region is very well positioned to achieve this considering the tremendous natural resources at hand, the cheapest renewable electricity worldwide and the largest copper and lithium reserves necessary for the looming revolution and electrification of the transport sector. But first, we need to train our people to seize this opportunity, facing a green social development.
With57% ofBelize’selectricity supply from renewable energy,the country surpasses theaverageforsmall island countries(13.6%2).Yet,the country will not reach its goal of85 percentof renewable energy by2030,unless moreprofessionals aretrained.Theskill gapis felt keenly in the renewable energy sector.AsMarbelieLozano, manager at SolarEnergySolutions BelizeLimited puts it“The lack of technical degreesin renewable energy makes it very challenging for a company operating in the solar energy sector. We have to train our own professionals to install solar systems. We offer them our very own4-weekcourse including hands-on training as there aren’t any complete technical degrees inthecountry for installing solar systems.”Of course,whatthe training companies arecurrently providing is an immediate business solution that cannotsubstitutea comprehensivetechnicaltrainingin renewable energywith a formal degree.
TechnicalEducation to Help Close the Renewable Energy Skills Gap
Tohelp close the green economy skills gap, the IDBhasjoined forceswiththe Ministry ofEducation, Culture,Science,andTechnology(MOECST),Solar Energy Solutions Belize (SESB), the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI)and otherprivate sector partnersto start a moderntechnical and vocational education and training (TVET)ecosystemin the country.Nova Scotia Community College, aninstitution withextensive experience intechnical and vocationaleducation andthe development of skills for thegreeneconomy, willdevelop and implement a2-yearrenewable energy program at the BelizeCityInstitute for Vocational Technical Education and Training (ITVET). This program will belaunchedin January 2022.
Thevisionin the medium termisto promote Belize as a laboratory for innovation inskills formationongreenenergyforthe English-speaking Caribbean.Belizehas a small population which makes the countrytheperfectsettingfor testingmodels and materialsthatcanbe scaled, adapted, and transferred toits neighbors in theCaribbean.Once validated and evaluated,all contentwill bemade availableforcountriesacrossthe regionthrougha community of practice andan online knowledge-sharing platform thatwill work as an information repository.In addition,this project presents a keyopportunityfor atourism-depended economy(39% of Belize’s GDP)to diversifysources of growth and employment after the harsh consequences of COVID-19. By creating opportunities to trainyouth to work in renewable energies, this project will offer highly qualifiedprofessionals toa new industrywith high employment generation potentialthat also supports thetransition to the green economy.
This projectis funded by theMulti-Donor Fund for the Transformation of TVET in Latin Americaand the Caribbean. The Fundwas formally established in October 2019 withthe contributionof the Governments ofGermanyandSwitzerlandwith the objectiveoffinancing innovative solutionsaimed at creating orconsolidatingmodern, private sector-ledskills ecosystemsto preparethe regionto successfully face the challenges of the future of work.
How do we boost green skills across LAC? How do we entice youth to pursue green careers? Share your comments with us in the section below, or comment on #climateskills #energytransition #sutainability #climateaction #greenjobs #buildbackbetter