The transition to clean energy depends on more than technology. It depends on people.

As solar deployment accelerates across West Africa, East Africa, and the Pacific, the demand for qualified professionals is growing just as rapidly. Yet differences in training systems, certification schemes, and professional standards continue to limit workforce mobility and slow the scale-up of renewable energy projects.

To address this challenge, UNIDO and the International Solar Alliance (ISA) launched an initiative to develop regional solar energy qualification frameworks and standardized training curricula across the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the East African Community (EAC), and the Pacific Community.

Coordinated by the Alliance for Rural Electrification (ARE), the project brings together international and regional experts to create a common foundation for solar skills development that supports regional integration and the long-term growth of the renewable energy sector.

Why it matters

Expanding access to solar energy requires more than investment in infrastructure. It requires a workforce with the right technical skills, recognized qualifications, and the ability to work across borders.

Today, training pathways for solar professionals differ significantly from one country to another, making it difficult to ensure consistent quality, facilitate labour mobility, and respond efficiently to the growing demand for skilled workers.

By harmonizing qualification frameworks and competency-based curricula, the project strengthens local capacity while creating a more integrated regional market for renewable energy professionals. It helps governments, training institutions, and the private sector speak the same language when it comes to skills, certification, and quality standards.

What the project does

The project develops a common framework for solar energy qualifications that can be adopted and adapted across multiple countries and regional economic communities.

Activities include:

• Developing Regional Qualification Frameworks (RQFs) aligned with existing National Qualification Frameworks and international best practices.
• Designing standardized, competency-based curricula for solar photovoltaic professionals, including advanced off-grid and mini-grid applications.
• Defining occupational profiles, learning outcomes, assessment methodologies, and certification pathways.
• Supporting stakeholder consultation and validation processes with governments, training institutions, industry representatives, and regional organizations.
• Promoting mutual recognition of solar qualifications to facilitate professional mobility and strengthen regional labour markets.

The result is a shared reference framework that improves the quality, consistency, and recognition of solar energy training across three strategic regions.

Expected impact

The project contributes to building a stronger renewable energy ecosystem by strengthening the human capital behind the energy transition.

By creating harmonized qualification systems, it is expected to:

• improve the quality and relevance of solar technical training;
• facilitate the mobility of qualified professionals across countries;
• support the growth of local renewable energy industries;
• increase confidence among employers and investors through recognized competency standards;
• accelerate the deployment of decentralized renewable energy solutions in underserved communities.

Ultimately, the initiative helps create the skilled workforce needed to support universal energy access and long-term sustainable development.

Engreen’s role

Within the consortium, Engreen contributes its expertise in renewable energy capacity building, decentralized energy systems, and technical education.

Our role focuses on the development of competency-based qualification frameworks and training curricula that respond to real market needs while aligning with international standards. Drawing on our experience in off-grid electrification projects across Africa, we support the definition of occupational profiles, learning outcomes, technical competencies, and training methodologies that prepare professionals for the challenges of today’s renewable energy sector.

By connecting technical excellence with practical implementation, Engreen helps transform knowledge into skills that can directly support the deployment of clean energy solutions.

Consortium

The project is coordinated by the Alliance for Rural Electrification (ARE) and funded by UNIDO and the International Solar Alliance (ISA).

The consortium includes:

• Alliance for Rural Electrification (ARE) – Coordinator
• Engreen
• Centre for Research in Energy and Energy Conservation (CREEC)
• Global Sustainable Energy Solutions (GSES)
• Institut International d’Ingénierie de l’Eau et de l’Environnement (2iE)