CIT students head to France to study renewable energy

Ten Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) students will travel to Paris in 2017 to study advances in renewable energy, an initiative supported by the Australian Government and Neoen, a leading French renewable energy firm contracted to supply the ACT with wind energy.

CIT has won a raft of Australian Government 2017 Endeavour Mobility Grants designed to encourage Australian students to immerse themselves in other countries’ academic and social cultures. CIT won 78 places for students to travel overseas to further their studies next year.

Neoen has been contracted by the ACT Government to supply electricity from its 315MW Hornsdale Wind Farm in SA to help meet its 100% by 2020 renewable energy target.

“CIT has moved to deliver new training and employment opportunities created by the ACT Government’s renewable energy commitment,” CIT Pathways College Director Lucy Marchant said. “Renewable energy firms tend to train their own staff, so ‘on the job’ training opportunities in this new industry sector are rare. Thanks to the Endeavour Mobility Grants and our partner Neoen, CIT will offer 10 students a unique chance in 2017 to study advances in this rapidly changing industry.

“This brilliant training opportunity will place CIT’s students and the ACT community ahead of the pack as the world’s energy systems undergo the massive transformation to clean energy,” Ms Marchant said.

At Neon’s Paris headquarters and its Bordeaux solar farm students will meet with industry practitioners, suppliers and installers to explore good design and application of wind and solar energy and renewable energy battery storage. On their return the students will apply their research to designing sustainable homes and energy efficient buildings, and in their trades and renewable energy work practice.

“Renewable energy is booming in Australia and Neoen is delighted to contribute to the training of a group of renewable energy students from the CIT. It’s a great honour to share our expertise and open up some of our international renewable energy projects to CIT students as part of their world’s best education,” Neoen Managing Director Franck Woitiez said.

CIT’s Endeavour Mobility Grants will see 10 student’s head to Singapore to study business and technology and design. CIT has won 20 places for students to travel to New Zealand to study horticulture, sustainable food production and culinary skills. CIT business students will travel to the United Arab Emirates to study international hotel management and to Cambodia to study sustainable clothing production. CIT veterinary nursing students will travel to Thailand and photography students will head to Indonesia to further their studies in 2017.

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