Under the Accelerating Adoption of Renewable Energy by Improving Stakeholder Participation in Tamil Nadu project, CAG held half-day Solar PV Awareness and Career Orientation Workshops at government and private ITIs and polytechnic colleges. Final-year students of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Electrician, and Mechanical Auto Electrical & Electronics took part in these workshops.
Students' questions at these workshops showed both interest and gaps in practical knowledge. They asked about panel types and orientation, earthing, system sizing, and Surge Protection Device (SPD) versus Miniature Circuit Breaker (MCB). Five students from each institution were shortlisted on the basis of technical understanding and participation, 160 students in all, were invited for the Two-Day Master Training, held in four districts with the same objectives, curriculum, methodology and trainers. It aimed to:
• Build practical skills in rooftop solar PV installation, wiring and commissioning.
• Build understanding of system design, testing, O&M and safety.
• Prepare students for jobs and self-employment in the growing rooftop solar sector.
Students during the practical session, Thiruvarur
Students during the practical session, Dindigul
Training Methodology
All four trainings followed a common two-day curriculum delivered by the resource team: researchers from CAG's Electricity Governance team (Mr. Bharath Ram, Senior Researcher, and Mr. Kirubakaran, Researcher) and field installation experts from SELCO Solar Light Pvt. Ltd. (Mr. Satheesh, Mr. Shankar and Mr. Vinoth). Each day combined classroom theory with live demonstrations and hands-on practice on actual solar components.
Students during the practical session, Madurai
Students during the practical session, Thiruvarur
Key Outcomes
Learning was reinforced through:
- Assignment: This assignment aimed to reinforce the concepts students learned on Day 1, ensuring they have a strong foundation before moving on to the more advanced topics covered on Day 2.
- Hands-on practice: Students crimped cables, made MC4 connections, and strung and mounted modules themselves.
- Written test: Students answered a scenario-based question designed to evaluate their grasp of solar concepts. This assessment covered all the topics discussed over the 1.5 days of instruction.
Diagram explaining solar radiation during our external practical session
Conclusion
Moving from a half-day awareness workshop to an intensive two-day training proved an effective way to identify motivated students and build their practical skills. The 160 trained students now form a pool of entry-level technicians for Tamil Nadu's expanding rooftop solar market.
Recommended next steps:
- Build partnerships between technical institutions and the solar industry - this is a need that the orientation workshops highlighted. Link trained students with empanelled installers, including those at the Solar Melas, for apprenticeships and placements.
- Encourage students to pursue formal certification such as the SCGJ Suryamitra programme.
- Track placement and self-employment outcomes, and extend the training to more districts.
Participating students were awarded certificates