Science and practice work together in further education in the field of renewable energies

Jörg Waniek, LEAG's Chief Human Resources Officer, and Prof. Dr. Gesine Grande, President of Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg (BTU) on August 18, 2023 signed a partnership agreement in principle confirming the cooperation between the Lusatia Qualification Network for Renewable Energies (QLEE) and the university in the field of continuing education. In particular in the field of renewable energies, the competencies of QLEE, in which LEAG is a partner company, and the BTU are to be linked even more closely in the future.

The agreement covers the joint development, implementation and quality assurance of advanced training and continuing education courses. Particular emphasis is placed on the transfer of knowledge from the university to the practical application of innovative solutions in companies.

BTU President Prof. Gesine Grande emphasizes: "The permeability of educational offerings is an important prerequisite for ensuring up-to-date qualification opportunities. The BTU has the expertise and framework conditions that make this possible. With our partnership in this area, we want to build a bridge between vocational qualification and higher education - in our view, the right way to enable individual and future-oriented educational and professional biographies."

"There is already fierce competition among companies for the skilled workers of the future, whom we need especially in the field of renewable power generation and in the industrial production and use of green hydrogen," knows LEAG Chief Human Resources Officer Jörg Waniek. "We are therefore well advised to pool all potential in the shoulder-to-shoulder cooperation of science and practice in order to coordinate, specialize and accelerate the training and further education of young skilled workers ourselves. This is the only way to achieve the ambitious goal of developing Lusatia into Germany's green powerhouse over the next seven years, with strong anchor companies in the energy sector and a strong, future-oriented science location. With BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg, we have the right partner for this. I would be delighted if one day it were a matter of course for skilled workers to attend courses at the universities for further education."

Offers that ensure the transferability of competencies and qualifications between different educational sectors after graduation are the focus of future collaboration between QLEE and BTU. The focus on competencies in training, work and study as well as the flexibilization of educational offerings are key elements here. In addition, the cooperation promises to contribute to further technological development and to strengthening the regional economy and sustainability, and thus to shaping an innovative and future-oriented energy transition in Lusatia.

Immediately after the signing, the first joint qualification series "Fachxpert:in für Wasserstoffanwendungen mit IHK-Zertifikat" will start. This 70-hour course in eight modules offers an in-depth examination of the possible applications of hydrogen as an energy carrier in various areas such as mobility, production, energy supply and climate balance. Among other things, participants are trained on the BTU's electrolyzer and are taught scientific basics in lectures in the university's lecture theatre.

The Qualification Network in Lusatia for Renewable Energies (QLEE) aims to offer further training courses in the field of renewable energies for Lusatian companies, employees and municipalities in line with demand and target groups. In close cooperation with the BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg, which is distinguished by its scientific expertise in the design of transformation processes and is breaking new ground in the field of continuing education, the development and sustainability of the region in the context of renewable energies will be further promoted. Through this collaboration, significant projects are being implemented to address the challenges of Energy Economics.