Vocational Course on the Installation of SWH and Training of trainers
Within the framework of the “Global Solar Water Heaters Initiative” (GSWH) project funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the United Nations Development Programme in Lebanon (UNDP) has recently hired an international expert to develop a new solar water heating (SWH) vocational training for installers and foremen.
The main aim of the project is to include SWH in the official curriculum issued by the Directorate General of Technical and Vocational Education which is composed of three levels (Technical Baccalaureate BT, Superior Technician TS and Technical License LT); thus supporting the creation of a technical workforce that has a good knowledge about the design of SWH systems and the best practice methods for installation, and has good maintenance and troubleshooting skills.
However, this training is not only limited to students in vocational schools. Skilled or unskilled installers also have the chance to receive professional training on SWH by registering to the “Basic Installation” certification program that was also developed under the project.
In order to develop the course in harmony with the Lebanese national curriculum, the GSWH project team has initiated a close cooperation, with the Directorate General of Technical and Vocational Education at the Lebanese Ministry of Education and Higher Education, to have its approval on including the program in the official curriculum.
Consequently, a 3-days training course on SWH system installation and maintenance, was held in Beirut from 31 March till 2 April 2014; more than 35 teachers (from both public and private technical vocational schools all over Lebanon) attended this event.
After the addition of the SWH courses in the official curriculum and the completion of the course material by the teachers, the project plans to create a certification scheme for SWH installers.
The certification aims at creating a skilled workforce able to supervise, install and manage SWH installation sites. This objective is in fully harmony with MED-DESIRE WP 5.3 (a & b) especially that the developed materials could be used or complemented in the capacity building and training initiatives.