The energy transition requires a well-trained workforce – yet industry associations are forecasting a significant shortage of skilled workers. To ensure that experienced professionals without Abitur, as well as migrants, can gain the qualifications needed for the sustainable transition, the team behind the newly launched FLOW project at the C3L – Centre for Lifelong Learning at the University of Oldenburg – is developing easily accessible training programmes. The project’s cooperation partner is the Bildungswerk der Niedersächsischen Wirtschaft (BNW); further partners and regional companies are to be involved.

The acronym FLOW also stands for the project’s objective: ‘Flexible and open further education’. The programmes will be aimed at experienced professionals and skilled workers from the skilled trades, commercial and engineering sectors. Those who have obtained qualifications abroad can receive personalised advice. The content will focus on wind energy and hydrogen. The programme will also cover the management and commercial leadership of sustainable projects, as well as digital skills. The team aims to develop up to 14 learning modules over the course of the first year of the project. These are designed to be combinable with one another and are due to be available from autumn 2025. Certificates obtained will then be eligible for credit towards subject-specific degree programmes

The C3L has already developed numerous educational programmes to integrate refugees and migrants into the German vocational and education system. Specialised C3L programmes train skilled workers in the fields of wind energy and hydrogen. This experience is being incorporated into the new project, which is receiving funding of around 340,000 euros from the European Union and the state of Lower Saxony.

uol.de/c3l/flow

contact: Dr Joachim Stöter, Tel.: 0441/798-2052, email: j.stoeter@uol.de