Iberdrola España concludes a pioneering employment project that boosts the future of Montaña Palentina

• The company is committed to sustainability and is working on numerous initiatives in the northwest of the province of Palencia to combat depopulation and offer new opportunities to its inhabitants.
• This free training – which is the result of listening to the Open Innovation Platform in Velilla and promotes the creation of opportunities in the photovoltaic sector – has been given jointly in Guardo and Velilla del Río Carrión.
• It has been an exceptional opportunity to provide around twenty unemployed people with sufficient knowledge to carry out, under supervision, the assembly, commissioning, operation and maintenance of solar photovoltaic plants.
• These initiatives – whose employability is over 85% – belong to a sector in full growth. Furthermore, they are part of the axes on which the energy transition towards a sustainable model based on renewable energies is developed; as well as technologies that generate and offer many opportunities for growth and the future.

In line with its commitment to sustainability, training and quality employment, Iberdrola España launched in early November last year a pioneering and specific training initiative in Spain for unemployed people on the westernmost slopes of the Palencia Mountains – while supporting the local economy of the areas where it has historically been present.

"This free training is the result of listening to the open Innovation Platform in Velilla and promotes the creation of opportunities in the photovoltaic sector.External link, opens in new window.. This training started to be taught jointly in Guardo and Velilla del Río Carrión, in morning and afternoon shifts due to reconciliation reasons; and concludes this week with practical work at Iberdrola España's Velilla photovoltaic plant" stressed Irene Schiavon, Iberdrola España's project coordinator.

A joint work with the Green Employment Platform for the training and employability support of around twenty unemployed people from the two towns in Palencia – both included in the support plans for the closures of the company's coal-fired power plants.

"The training action has been an exceptional opportunity to provide sufficient knowledge to carry out, under supervision, the assembly, commissioning, operation and maintenance of solar photovoltaic plants", said David Saldaña, head of Iberdrola España's Velilla photovoltaic plant.

These courses – promoted in collaboration with the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid and Ingeus (experts in social innovation, benchmarks in the sector and with previous experience) –  are aligned with the Reskilling for Employment (R4E) programme. This is an initiative of the European Roundtable, co-led by Iberdrola España – which aims to promote the preparation of professionals for high quality green jobs. The employability of such actions is around 85%.

Green energy powering the future

The renewable energyExternal link, opens in new window.  sector has been identified as a source of social, economic and environmental opportunities. Experts agree that the fight against climate changeExternal link, opens in new window.  will require companies to invest in green jobs and the development of sustainability-related skills. The R4E programme is an action that promotes social inclusion and economic competitiveness – by addressing market failures in reskilling and creating a collaborative ecosystem of reskilling ("recycle" professionals for a different post), involving companies, public bodies, trade unions, industry associations and training providers.

Schiavon reaffirmed that Iberdrola España is working on the opportunities offered by the energy transition and the new economic activities that they generate: "the new jobs arising from this training for photovoltaic installers are jobs for the future in which new opportunities are put into practice; and they are presented in the territories currently in the midst of the decarbonisation process".

This is a training belonging to a sector in full growth and is part of the axes on which the energy transition towards a sustainable model based on renewable energies is being developed; as well as technologies that generate and offer many opportunities for growth and the future.

Investments in 100% renewable projects, boosting the business development and local employment based on green principles, innovation and support for entrepreneurship are the pillars on which Iberdrola España is working to transform the region of Velilla del Río Carrión – which is actively supporting in its decarbonisation process.

Saldaña highlighted that "the company is promoting the Velilla and Virgen de Areños III photovoltaic plants in the area, with a total of 400 MW, which have employed over 850 workers during the construction of both facilities – an important driving force for rural development in the region".