Pretoria, South Africa - 27 June 2025- As South Africa accelerates its transition toward a low-carbon economy, strengthening the skills base of its workforce has become a national priority. At the heart of this shift is the need to ensure that young people, particularly those in rural and historically disadvantaged communities, are equipped to participate meaningfully in the country’s energy future.

In support of this national effort, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) South Africa is proud to unveil the first cohort of students from the Energy Efficiency Skills Programme (EESP), a key initiative under our advancing inclusive  Just Energy Transition (JET) in South Africa efforts.

The programme, supported by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) South Africa and implemented in partnership with the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and the Energy and Water Sector Education and Training Authority (EWSETA), focuses on developing practical skills in energy efficiency. Over six months, 75 students across Gert Sibande, Nkangala, and Ehlanzeni Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Colleges in Mpumalanga were trained to become certified Energy Performance Practitioners, who can assess, audit, and improve the energy performance of buildings, a critical requirement for energy-conscious development.

This current cohort follows the inaugural group of 123 students who were trained in Limpopo province through this initiative, where the focus was on young women from rural areas who were then equipped with the skills to install, repair, and maintain solar photovoltaic (PV) systems in 2024.

The EESP sought to upskill participants who held an engineering qualification prior, and needed to expand their expertise that are relevant to the green economy. The curriculum included theory, practical training, and work-integrated learning, ensuring graduates are ready to respond to real-world energy efficiency challenges.

Underscoring the importance of this investment in youth, Ms. Phumla Hlathi, UNDP South Africa’s Head of Inclusive Growth, noted, “In a country where youth unemployment remains one of the most urgent development challenges, investing in young people is not an option, it is a necessity. At UNDP, we are deeply committed to unlocking the potential of youth, not just as beneficiaries of development, but as co-creators, problem-solvers, and leaders of change.” 

Of the 75 graduates, 50 are women, underscoring the programme’s intentional approach to gender inclusion in technical fields where women remain underrepresented. This also supports South Africa’s efforts to promote equity and unlock the full potential of its workforce.

This work forms part of UNDP’s broader support to the TVET sector under the JET framework. To date, 198 students have been reached through JET for TVET programmes in Limpopo and Mpumalanga, focusing on both Solar PV and Energy Efficiency skills development. Of these, 173 are women — a promising sign that the just transition is not only about changing how we power our country, but also about who gets to power it.

As South Africa advances on its energy transition pathway, this initiative contributes directly to the National Development Plan (NDP) 2030, by addressing youth unemployment, building technical capabilities, and ensuring that local communities are not left behind in the shift to a greener economy.

In this spirit, the German Embassy in South Africa, represented by Ms. Rixa Von Somnitz-Moren, addressed the graduates with a message of encouragement, “You are part of a generation that will drive South Africa’s shift towards a more sustainable energy future, through energy efficiency, renewable innovation, and entrepreneurship” 

To date, 123 Limpopo graduates have been successfully placed in internships and work-integrated learning opportunities across the renewable energy sector, enabling them to apply their skills in real-world settings

Reflecting on the broader significance of such efforts, the Department of Higher Education and Training’s Chief Director for Special Projects, Sabelo Buthelezi,  highlighted the vital role of TVET colleges in building a future-ready workforce “The role of TVET colleges in developing the right skills for the Just Energy Transition in South Africa is very important. What these colleges are currently doing is preparing a new generation of workers who will be equipped with the skills needed for the jobs of the future.”

The success of these initiatives in both Limpopo and Mpumalanga is rooted in strong collaboration. In Mpumalanga, the programme was facilitated by the Institute of Energy Professionals Africa (IEPA), while in Limpopo, training was supported by the University of Johannesburg’s Process, Energy, and Environmental Technology Station (UJ PEETS). These partnerships have been essential to delivering high-quality, accredited skills training and creating meaningful pathways from learning to livelihood.