EDPR and Vestas boost employment by awarding 24 training scholarships for young people living in rural areas

The multinationals EDP Renewables and Vestas close the I Edition of the “Keep it local” program through which both companies offer the possibility of taking the AEE Wind Farm Maintenance Technician course to young people living in rural areas. 

EDP Renewables (Euronext: EDPR), the fourth largest renewable energy producer worldwide, and Vestas, a leading company in the manufacture, sale, installation and maintenance of wind turbines, have awarded 24 training scholarships in the first edition of its ‘Keep it local‘ program, which aims to promote training and employment generation for young people to tackle rural depopulation. 

After receiving more than 120 applications, a jury composed of representatives of EDPR and Vestas selected the winners of the scholarships, whose closing ceremony was held today at the TRAINEK center. The event was attended by executives from both companies: Duarte Bello, COO Brazil and Europe of EDP Renewables; Iñigo Echevarría, VP Service for Southern Europe, MENA and Latin America of Vestas; and Juan Virgilio Márquez, CEO of AEE.

Those selected, who have obtained an average score of 7.23, have taken the Wind Farm Maintenance Technician course given by the Spanish Wind Energy Association (AEE) free of charge. After completing the course, they will have the opportunity to apply for a job near their place of residence. Most of the scholarship holders come from Cádiz (38%), A Coruña (17%), Seville (9%), Burgos (8%) and Asturias (8%), among other provinces.  

After the success of the “Keep it local” program, EDPR and Vestas have expressed their intention to give it continuity and organize a new edition, as well as to internationalize the course. 

In the words of Duarte Bello, COO EDPR Brazil and Europe: “We are very satisfied and grateful for the good reception of the program and the level of the candidates. Therefore, we want to organize a new edition of ‘Keep it local’ maintaining our commitment to employment and to young people to whom we will continue to offer the possibility of accessing a labor market close to their place of residence”.
 
Íñigo Echevarría, VP Service for Southern Europe, MENA and Latin America at Vestas, added: “We are proud that this initiative, dedicated to the training of young talent, will support the energy transition and the achievement of the objectives of the National Energy and Climate Plan. “Keep it Local” means supporting local employment and rural depopulation, and fits perfectly with Vestas’ philosophy. Sustainability is part of everything we do in the company and this is certainly a further step in this commitment”.

Finally, Juan Virgilio Márquez, CEO of AEE, in his closing remarks, said “Wind is a sector in full growth. Specifically, 2020 was the best year in history for the global wind industry with the addition of 93 GW. In the case of Spain, the coming years will be key for the development of this technology. By 2030, the forecasts for wind power will mean doubling its current installed capacity, which already stands at more than 25 GW installed. With these figures, companies need specialists capable of meeting the needs of their wind farms. AEE’s Maintenance Technician course is consolidating its position as one of the first sources that wind power companies turn to for specialized workers”.