NIGERIA Invest in 2012-13 - Newsdesk Media

former university academic addressed not only the issue of how
to convey technical knowledge but also the teaching methods to
be employed. Professor Laufer’s field of expertise while he was at
the University of Magdeburg included the training of vocational
teachers. In the German education system, vocational teachers
play a crucial role in ensuring that skilled workers and engineers
attain the requisite standard before entering the jobs market.
Lucas-Nülle is responsible for exporting this quality standard to
the whole world through the sustainable training it provides as
part of the projects it manages.
“A well-trained and productive workforce is the
only way to address the power-sector challenges
in our country.” (Reuben Okeke, commissioning RTC Kainji, on the
17 of May 2012)
At the end of the seminar, Professor Laufer flew out with the
engineers to Nigeria to take receipt of the teaching systems,
install them and continue the training on site. After installation
was complete and the official handover of the project had taken
place, Professor Laufer and other experts have carried on
supporting the local staff, answering any technology and
methodology queries that arise from their teaching activities.
“For the first time in the Nigerian Power Sector a total of about
a thousand fresh graduates in Electrical Electronics and Mechanical
Engineering will commence the skills acquisition program.
NAPTIN had the impetus to embark upon this because of the
training equipment and courses acquired from the company
Lucas-Nülle,” explains Reuben Okeke.
Stefan Welp, who has supervised the project, made several
journeys to Kainji in Nigeria to oversee the installation of the
teaching systems. He explains why this service is so important:
“Our systems are state of the art; they challenge learners not only
to observe processes but to understand and even control them.
Consequently, teachers have to be very good in their specialist
area as well as in the use of laboratory equipment. That’s why we
give them thorough ongoing training. The concept has success-
fully proven itself over the past thirty years, during which time
we have equipped educational institutes in all five continents with
technical training systems ranging from electrical engineering to
communication and process management technology. And that is
also the case here in Nigeria, where they have set up the largest
training centre for energy technology and renewable energy
supplies in the whole of Africa.”
Following the two-year planning and implementation phase of
the project and a five-week service period with Lucas-Nülle staff
on site, NAPTIN held the official opening ceremony for RTC
Kainji on 17 May 2012. Among the guests of honour were the
Emir of Borgu, the Deputy Minister for Energy, the Secretary of
State for Energy, the Director of NAPTIN and a host of local
dignitaries plus an employee of GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für
Internationale Zusammenarbeit) representing the Embassy of the
Federal Republic of Germany.
The Secretary of State for Energy spoke in glowing terms of
the offer by Lucas-Nülle to collaborate on meeting future
challenges in the construction of a modern energy supply
network.
Lucas-Nülle GmbH
Mr Stefan Welp
Tel.: +49 (0) 2273 567-48
stefan.welp@lucas-nuelle.com
www.lucas-nuelle.com