The first NE(W)AVE training on renewable energies in Palermo has successfully ended. During this 2-week training hosted by St.H, the company expert in this sector based in Palermo, participants from Greece and Denmark developed their technical competences on renewable energies through face-to-face trainings, workshops and visits to different renewable energy plants and firms and through the constant support of 3 company mentors at St.H. NE(W)AVE aims to create, test and implement a comprehensive learning model for future professionals in renewable energies. CESIE, together with the other partners is working provide learners with innovative learning opportunities, particularly targeting potential growth sectors such as the renewable energy sector. Before the training, the learners had the chance to test for the first time the Open Online Course of the NE(W)AVE project, an online platform where they could refresh and deepen their knowledge on this sector and get ready for the training in Palermo. At St.H, the learners developed their professional knowledge on renewable sources and learned also about the best practises implemented in Sicily in terms of green energies and shared knowledge and experiences with the other participants. In the beautiful “saline” landscape in Marsala, the participants visited the Selmar Technologies company, which since 1984 designs and manufactures water treatment plants, provides specialized consulting services, supplies rapid and competent assistance and supports innovation in the field. The learners examined the different devices and the visited the production department too. They had also the chance to visit the Saline of Saline Genna, where
still today sea salt is cultivated and harvested "by hand", and learned about
the salt extraction process from sea water.

In Legambiente Sicilia, the largest environmental association in the region, the participants met Tommaso Castronovo and Vanessa Rosano who through their commitment in education to raise awareness in this sector, want to spread the message of taking daily little “green” actions in order to positively affect our city, region and countries in the long run.

In the town of Casteldaccia, the students visited Medielettra company and met its general manager Angelo Badalamenti who has dedicated almost 30 years to the development and growth of this renewable business offering consultancy on technological systems. The students saw and learned about the different photovoltaic panels, renewable systems and batteries the company uses and offers to its customers in an office environment that is “green” itself.  

At the university campus of Palermo, the participants visited a unique solar laboratory; the so-called SOLL SOLAR LIVING LAB of Consorzio ARCA, with its 3000 m2 of extension, is the first pilot plant in Europe developed in urban contexts, dedicated to the demonstration and experimentation of new advanced solar systems (concentration solar-CSP, salt storage spindles, ORC, solar cooling, high efficiency photovoltaic, membrane desalination), open to the public to allow schools, professionals, business technicians and researchers to come into contact with these technologies. Through the support of the Engineer Filippo Paredes, who has untiringly worked on this solar living lab project from its first steps, the students could discover its backstage and enter this amazing Solar Laboratory, which is located in a wide area subject to ​​recovery as a urban park and includes design solutions developed to reduce the environmental impact in urban contexts and in areas of landscape and archaeological interest. Some of its components derive from R&D activities involving SMEs in the local supply chain. Its construction was supported by European funds, in particular through the STS-Med project, funded by the ENPI CBC MED Euro-Mediterranean cooperation programme.

At The project coordinator stated: “The importance of managing soft skills in today’s work environment is extremely important. Research shows that the employers do not only aim at hiring a very technical skilled staff but need also employees that can easily manage the most important soft skills, such as communication, team work and linguistic skills. We believe that the NE(W)AVE training has helped these learners to develop and understand better their own skills needed for this growing sector.”

Through this 2-week training of the NE(W)AVE project, the participants deepened their knowledge in the green sector, developed their technical competences, which were integrated with practical skills, and shared experiences with the other learners with a positive effect on their English language skills, interpersonal and intercultural competences, team work and self-developing skills. Futhermore, the collaboration of leading innovators in the field from Sicily has supported the exchange of good practice at local, regional and European level Considering the growing importance of the renewable energy sector in the last years and the high demand of skilled technical staff in the labour market, especially in terms of installation and maintenance, as one of the major aims of the NE(W)AVE project, it has been crucial to help the training participants to increase their employability chances.  For more information on the NE(W)AVE Open Online Course, please visit https://newaveproject.eu/ or write to Simona Palumbo: simona.palumbo@cesie.org.