EDPR launches ‘Keep it Local’ program to boost employment in rural areas in Rio Grande do Norte
- The ‘program is set to contribute to training and opportunities for residents living in sparsely populated areas.
- Developed in collaboration with SENAI, will see 25 scholarships awarded to subsidize qualification courses in photovoltaic systems given by SENAI Rio Grande do Norte.
With a strong presence in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, EDP Renováveis (Euronext: EDPR), the world’s fourth largest producer of renewable energy is launching ‘Keep it Local’ in Brazil, a social responsibility program with the aim of boosting employability in rural areas and supporting training and job creation, in order to combat rural depopulation.
In this regard, in collaboration with SENAI, Latin America’s largest professional education complex, the first edition of ‘Keep it Local Solar’ is being launched, which will facilitate training in photovoltaic systems for 25 residents in locations where the company has activities in this state; one of the company’s main investment poles in Brazil.
Offered free of charge to the population, the training will start with a course on Photovoltaic System Installers, the systems that generate solar energy. The course will be held in Lajes, a region in the state of Rio Grande do Norte with investments in the area and the one with the most wind farms underway. The classes will start this month, and will be executed by SENAI-RN’s Center of Gas Technologies and Renewable Energy (CTGAS-ER).
Registration opens next week and must be done in person, at the Lajes Parish Center on the 13th and 14th. To participate, you must have completed high school education and be at least 18 years old. In addition, to opt for one of the 25 scholarships offered, you will need to undergo the selection process, comprising a registration, screening and interview stage.
Employability
In Spain, where the program originated, 1 in 3 students got a job from the initiative.
“We are a company committed to sustainability and our goal is to promote the well-being and development of the communities in which we are present,” says the COO of EDP Renováveis in Europe and Latin America, Duarte Bello.
He adds: “We were delighted with the results from the first edition of ‘Keep it local’ (in Spain), since 30% of the participants got jobs in the sector, including at EDP Renewables. That’s why, this year, we decided to continue supporting the residents of the communities, this time near our parks in Rio Grande do Norte, who want to work in this industry of the future that is renewable energy.”
According to the company, ‘Keep it Local’ opens up prospects for the participating population to work near to their areas of origin and, at the same time, to position themselves as important drivers of the local economy.
The regional director of SENAI-RN and CTGAS-ER, Rodrigo Mello, highlights the growth that renewable energies have generated in Rio Grande do Norte, with local qualification and employment opportunities.
“The wind and solar energy industries boost employability, income distribution, and the movement of small businesses – with prospects for a strong growth in the energy matrix not only in the state, but also across the country. These activities advance quickly and initiatives like this, in partnership with EDP Renewables, contribute so that this movement continues in a sustainable and quality manner,” he stressed.
To carry out the training, EDPR will count on one of SENAI’s mobile units in Rio Grande do Norte and on the institution’s teaching kits, with all the necessary infrastructure for the practical classes.
How to participate?
Registration for the selection process will take place at the Centro Paroquial de Lajes (RN), at Praça Matriz, nº 312, on June 13th and 14th, from 9am to 1pm, and from 2pm to 7pm.
To enroll, you need to bring originals or copies of your ID, Tax ID, school transcript or high school diploma.
The preliminary announcement of the successful candidates will be issued on June 16th at www.rn.senai.br
The selection interviews for the course will have a hybrid format (via Teams or in person), and will take place on June 20th and 21th. The announcement of the chosen candidates, as well as the registration period (June 27th to 30th), will be issued at www.rn.senai.br
The course on Photovoltaic Systems Installation will start on July 11th, from 5pm to 10pm, at the Parque de Exposições Deputado Nélio Dias (Fomento), BR 304, Lajes (RN).