Structured program to train the trainer

Training of Trainers

GREEN’s goal is to deliver excellent trainings, so we pay great attention not only to what’s on the slide but also how it is presented. Let’s talk about Training of Trainers: ours, and yours!

What makes a good training course? Besides relevant content, the facilitator is the second major factor. We have been training our own trainers since 2012 and have developed an efficient routine that we are sharing as a service to NGOs, universities and TVETS for selected projects.

Our Training of Trainer (ToT) programs are designed to provide facilitators with the necessary skills and qualifications to effectively teach solar to others. This includes teaching the facilitators about the technical aspects of solar where necessary, best practices for teaching, and how to engage their students in the learning process. This training is essential to ensure that our facilitators can confidently lead their own classes and workshops.

Operating 13 Academies in 8 countries while maintaining high quality standards across all branches poses some challenges of its own. Training our trainers is an integral part of tackling this challenge -instead of just relying on our subject matter experts to be good trainers by nature!

Modular Training

Together with the German Solar Energy Society DGS, GREEN Solar Academy has developed a modular procedure to train solar trainers. The process can be adapted to the pre-knowledge level of the trainer candidates and complexity of the training to be offered.

The training of trainers consists of 3 elements:

1. Technical Training
The trainer candidates participate in a solar training to gain necessary technical skills. We recommend a combination of basic and advanced training, e.g. the SuperSolarSchool and PV Mounter or Designer course. Practical experience and on-site experience after the training is also recommended. If the trainer candidates are completely new to solar energy, they are given homework in the form of the study of additional materials on solar PV.

If the trainer candidate already has experience in solar installation or design, he/she must still take part in the training course in order to experience the course from a learner perspective.

2. Teaching Methodology
In this part we focus on didactical aspects of the training, general teaching methodologies aiming at effective and interactive teaching as well as specific analogies and activities that have worked well for us in past trainings. We also go through training material to familiarise the candidates with the resources (practical and theoretical) that are available for the training. Exchange of experience among the trainers, especially when they already have teaching experience or practical experience is an important element of this part of the ToT.

Exchange of experience among the trainers, especially when they already have teaching experience or practical experience is an important element of this part of the ToT.

3. Teaching Exercise and Shadowing
After sufficient training, the trainer candidate teaches in an actual training course for the first time. An accredited GREEN trainer or other experienced trainer is present to support the new trainer and give feedback at the end of the session. Depending on his/her capacity the new trainers then continue to shadow experienced trainers and gradually take on more and more new teaching tasks on their own. A continuous feedback loop ensures constant improvement of the trainers’ skills.

Training university lecturers in Takoradi, Ghana…

…and TVET Teachers in Mekele and Adama, Ethiopia.

Options for Implementation

GREEN’s services are primarily on offer to NGOs, universities, and TVETs within the scope of specific projects. This targeted approach ensures a focused dissemination of knowledge and resources to organizations actively engaged in capacity building and educational initiatives.

The program can be structured either as a comprehensive block course or modular sessions, allowing for flexibility in scheduling and accommodating diverse learning preferences.

We offer the option of conducting all the training on-site at your premises or hosting portions of the program at our academies, where we can provide access to specialised facilities and resources, like our specially-designed training roofs.

We can tailor the content to align with your specific objectives, either making use of our standard training materials or adapting the curriculum to integrate seamlessly with your existing course content.

Practical exercises for the trainers

Group discussions during a session

Working on delivery methods

The process of training of your trainers will vary depending the situation at hand. Be prepared to answer the following questions:

• Do your trainers already have a technical background and knowledge of the subject matter, and simply need instruction on how to transfer that knowledge effectively?
• Do your trainers already have experience in teaching and now need solar-specific knowledge to be able to train?
• Do you have training material ready or do you need GREEN to assist with training material and curriculum development?

ToT as Annual Quality Assurance at GREEN

At GREEN, we have been using this process since 2016 to train our own trainers. We continuously developed it further and adapted it to changing circumstances, e.g. added online elements during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Once a year, all our trainers get together for a joint training of trainers. It is a platform for all to update on technical topics, practice new teaching methods and most importantly, exchange on experience during the daily training. We have been able to maintain the same high quality level at all our academies over a long period of time already, thanks to our well-structured training of trainer process.

GREEN’s Annual Training of Trainers in 2021…

…and in 2024 at our academy in Wynberg, Sandton.

Do you want to become a GREEN trainer?

We are always looking for trainers. If you want to pass on solar knowledge, meet interesting new people in the courses and be part of a great trainer team, send us your CV! Ideally, you will have practical experience in the solar industry but a passion for renewable energies is the actual key qualification we are looking for!

Get the conversation started by reaching out on email.

Pictured are Dennis Wiredu Asare (manager and trainer) and Delali Pearce-Kporha (trainer) from GREEN Solar Academy Ghana.