Educational Alternatives, Volume 12, 2014

Abstract: A Skills and Training Needs Analysis (STNA) to review the current delivery of low carbon education within the UK Higher Education Sector, was conducted for Solar Photovoltaics (PV). The PV STNA revealed a sizable University presence in technology development across the different PV technologies, but a lack of existing provision focusing exclusively on Solar PV across the Higher Education Institutions at level 7. Twenty four Post Graduate courses across the UK including ten within Wales were identified, which cover Solar PV content at master’s level, but this is mainly delivered as part of a low carbon technology module providing an overview of the main renewable technologies e.g. Solar PV, Solar Thermal, Marine, Hydrogen and Wind. The main areas of interest for new training provision are: PV Systems and Design, Advanced Manufacturing, Emerging PV Technologies, Buildings as Power Stations and End of Life Considerations. The STNA highlighted that the training provision offered by the Welsh Energy Sector Training (WEST) project needs to be demand led and align with the identified training needs of the industry to ensure successful uptake of the new training provision and maximum benefit to the Welsh and UK energy sectors. That said, it is also incumbent upon providers to fulfil a leadership role, by identifying the training that is required to meet future industry needs given the changing context for the UK solar industry.