- More than half of the students in Aragon, the first to finish the course last year, were hired by Endesa's partner companies.
A total of 231 students from 27 Vocational Training Institutes that teach Dual Vocational Training in the operation and maintenance of medium and low voltage networks have been given for the second consecutive year an opportunity to experience first-hand the day-to-day fieldwork undertaken by e-distribución, Endesa's distribution subsidiary, to guarantee the electricity supply to 12.5 million customers. The course brings the classroom closer to the company by combining theoretical training with practical training, opening the way for students to develop a professional career in the electrical distribution sector. Distribution networks have become the backbone of the energy transition process. Growth during the coming years is expected to be significant and trained professionals will be needed to play a leading role in this transformation.
Following the good experience recorded last year, this academic year will see the participation of education centres from 23 cities located in the six Autonomous Communities in which e-distribución operates as an electricity distribution company (Aragón, Andalusia, Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, Extremadura and Catalonia). The collaboration between Endesa and its contractors is focused on enriching the training of students, especially in everything related to safety, with the aim of improving their employability. In fact, more than half of the students who completed the training in the first edition, which has now concluded in Aragon, were hired by Endesa's collaborating companies participating in the project.
Students will be given more than 1,000 hours of field practice that will enable them to become familiar with the infrastructure and the work involved to ensure electricity is supplied to homes and businesses. "For the students it is a fantastic springboard to make the leap into the labour market and for us, a great opportunity to bring training closer to the needs of companies, improve the employability of the population in the areas where we work and bring the electrical distribution sector closer to young people, especially women, who are still a minority in this area," says Josep María Sayols, Head of Purchasing in Endesa's Networks division.
Aaron López, a second-year student studying for a higher degree in Electro-technical Systems at the Las Fuentezuelas Secondary Education Institute in Jaén, pointed out that dual training enables them to go beyond "the theory to be found in books, to experience the real installations, to see how the work is done, how the company is organised, and to provide us with hands-on experience" in a sector "with a great future". He explained that apart from the importance attached to safety measures, he was very impressed by the extent of work done on power grids and to see "how many people really depend on the work you do".
Last year, the Higher Degree in Electro-technical and Automated Systems and the Intermediate Degree in Electrical and Automatic Installations introduced a specific safety module promoted by e-distribución in collaboration with the Ministries of Education of the six Autonomous Communities where it operates, which provides comprehensive knowledge with regard to the operation of electrical networks, including innovative training related to low-voltage work, work at heights and work in underground installations. The students accompany the work crews, face real day-to-day field work situations and operate with professional equipment in what becomes their first contact with the world of work.
The e-distribution professionals are also in charge of providing free training to the teachers of the participating schools (64 last year, to which another 22 teachers will be added this year).
A sector with a great future
Electricity distribution networks are the backbone of the energy transition. These are the ones who will enable more and more renewable generation to be integrated into the electricity system, the massive deployment of electric mobility, self-sufficiency and the general use of heat pumps as a heating method. And in this new scenario of radical change in the role of electricity distribution, there will be more and more professionals who are responsible for maintaining, modernising and expanding these networks by applying the latest technologies.
The International Energy Agency estimates that we will need to double global investment in power grids from 300,000 million to 600,000 million dollars each year in order to ensure the success of the energy transition. In Europe, the European Commission forecasts that electricity consumption in the EU will increase by about 60% by 2030 and that €584,000 million will need to be invested in electricity grids by the end of the decade.
Endesa recognises that it needs to play a leading role and will allocate €2,800 million over the next three years to strengthen, expand and modernise distribution networks to increase the quality of supply, flexibility and resilience of electricity infrastructures.
About Endesa
Endesa is a leading electricity company in Spain and the second largest in Portugal. In addition, it is the second largest gas operator in the Spanish market. It undertakes end-to-end business including the generation, distribution and retailing of electricity. It also offers, through Endesa X, value-added services aimed at the electrification of energy uses in homes, companies, industries and public administrations, including electric mobility, where it is one of the main operators of charging points in Spain. Endesa is firmly committed to the United Nations SDGs and strongly supports the development of renewable energies through Enel Green Power España, the digitalisation of grids through e-distribución and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The Endesa Foundation is also active in CSR. Our team totals around 9,260 employees. Endesa is part of Enel, Europe's largest electricity group.