Politeknika Txorierri is taking part in a European project to promote vocational training in renewable energy in Sierra Leone

Politeknika Txorierri takes part in the launch of the European EREVETS project to strengthen vocational training in the energy sector in Sierra Leone

The initiative promotes international cooperation between educational institutions and businesses to develop new professional skills related to renewable energy

Politeknika Txorierri recently took part in the kick-off mission for the European EREVETS project – Empowering the Renewable Energy Sector through VET Support in Sierra Leone – held from 23 to 27 February 2026 in Sierra Leone. This meeting marks the start of an Erasmus+ international cooperation project aimed at strengthening vocational training in the field of renewable energy in the African country.

The project is coordinated by Maastricht University (Netherlands) and involves Politeknika Txorierri, which contributes its expertise in technical vocational training, educational innovation and the management of European projects. The consortium also includes several educational institutions from Sierra Leone, including Freetown Polytechnic, the Eastern Technical University of Sierra Leone and the University of Sierra Leone – Fourah Bay College.

During the working week, a number of meetings and activities were held to align the consortium’s objectives and initiate collaboration with key stakeholders in the country’s energy sector. The public launch event for the project, held at Freetown Polytechnic, brought together representatives from educational institutions, public authorities, energy sector companies and international organisations to identify the sector’s needs and explore opportunities for collaboration.

The mission then continued in Kenema, where the partners visited the Eastern Technical University of Sierra Leone and held meetings with the management team and teaching staff, as well as touring the centre’s facilities. They also visited a local company specialising in the development of mini-grids, which provided a first-hand insight into the professional skills requirements in the field of renewable energy.

“Sierra Leone has enormous potential in renewable energy. Contributing through vocational training to help more young people acquire the necessary skills to work in this sector is something that is truly exciting,” highlights Asier Zabala, a machining lecturer at Politeknika Txorierri.

For her part, Lidia González, European project manager at the centre, highlights the value of these initiatives: “Projects such as EREVETS enable us to build bridges between institutions in different countries and connect education, businesses and local development.”