The renewable energy sector iis in need of solar panel installares and energy efficiency technician as the most relevant profiles in the sector. The sector considers that templates will have formative needs related to energy storage systems (accumulation, batteries, etc., photovoltaic installations, smart grids and improved flexibility and reliability of operations (automation, IoT, analytical data, Scada., etc.), self-consuming facilities and energy communities. The VET degree in Electrical and Automatic Installations has a much higher enrolment than the rest and the latest courses have seen a slight increase in enrolment. Registration of the Higher Degree of Renewable Energy follows a trend of growth in recent years. Most license plates are concentrated in private centers. Last Tuesday, 28 March, the BCN Training Professional Foundation presented the emerging economic sectors and vocational training in the Barcelona metropolitan region. This study analyzes the renewable energy sector from a PF key approach. The study focuses on learning and analysing the characteristics and dynamics of the labour market, the training and skills needs of companies and the different range of vocational training offers. In addition, the main innovative trends are described and the most sought-after, hard-covered and emerging profiles of the sector are identified.
The study was produced from a survey involving almost 100 companies in the sector and 28 interviews and discussion groups with different key players. It has been developed by the BCN Professional Training Foundation in collaboration with CaixaBank Dualitza and the support of Barcelona Activa and the Barcelona metropolitan area.
The welcome was given by Lieutenant Mayor of Badalona, Mr Alex Montornes, followed by Mr Fabian Mohedano, Executive Chairman of the Professional Qualification and Training Agency of Catalonia of the Government of Catalonia and closed the presentation ceremony by Mrs Monntserrat Ballarín, Vice-President of the AMB’s Social and Economic Development Area.
The renewable energy sector considers the profile of solar installation builder and maintainer a key profile in the sector. Followed by the energy efficiency and energy audit technician, manager-supervisor and launch of solar installations, promoter or salesperson of ESER and installer and maintainer of electric vehicle loading points, Àngel Tarri.o and Ana Vicente, coordinator and researcher responsible for the study of the Observatory of the Barcelona Training Professional Foundation.
Other emerging profiles that are considered important are that of an energy storage specialist, energy community manager or dynamitor and energy monitoring technician and data analyst.
With regard to the specific profile of mounter and/or maintainer/or solar installations, the results show that integral or hybrid profiles will be increasingly demanded in the coming years. The proliferation of domestic installations means that more and more professionals with integrated knowledge of photovoltaics, charging points, electric and/or aerothermic batteries (both from the part of installations and the maintenance of these facilities) are required.
The presentation brought together a round table with representatives from the sector: Mr Raúl Rodríguez, director general of FEGICAT, guild of Installers, Mrs Esther Morlanes, director ALTERNA Energia and member of the Territorial Council of UNEFCAT, Mr Víctor Cusí, president of EOLICCAT, Patronal eolics of Catalonia and Mr Javier Azorín, head of training and talent development of IBERDROLA Spain. The discussion, in relation to the training needs identified by the sector, considers that future templates have or will have training needs related to energy storage systems (accumulation, batteries, etc., photovoltaic installations, smart grids and improved flexibility and reliability of operations (automation, IoT, analytical data, Scada., etc.), self-consuming facilities and energy communities. Formative shortages related to green hydrogen and hydrogen value chain systems, electricity distribution networks and generation of renewable gases from waste and electric and hydrogen vehicles are also noted. Ultimately, these results show that most of the training needs are associated with the new trends in the sector.
The study also identifies the main trends in enrollment and employment insertion of training cycles with the most linking to the EERR sector in RMB.
The Median Degree in Electrical and Automatic Installations has a much higher enrolment than the rest and the latest courses have seen a slight increase in enrolment.
Registration of the Higher Degree of Renewable Energy follows a trend of growth in recent years. Most license plates are concentrated in private centers.
The Middle Degree of Calor Production Installations and the Upper Degree of Energy Efficiency and Solar Thermal Energy have suffered a decline in registration in recent years. The last course analyzed has a very low enrolment.
These cycles are strongly masculinized—especially middle grade cycles—and no significant reversal of this trend is observed over the years, with % of women still very little relevance.
The dual modality is not widespread in these degrees, especially in the case of upper grade degrees.
The Upper Degrees of the Energy and Water Family and the Middle Degrees of the Installation and Maintenance Family have higher employment levels than the respective average of the Upper and Middle Degree cycles, respectively.
