China’s leading solar solutions provider LONGi and ETRC have arranged training sessions on solar energy in Pakistan, Gwadar Pro reported on Sunday. In this connection, a training session on solar energy is ongoing at the Energy Training and Research Centre (ETRC) in Lahore. The two-month event, which started last week, admitted 20 Pakistani students with a diploma of associate engineer (DEA) or bachelor of technology (B-Tech), said Ali Majid, LONGi General Manager in Pakistan, in an interview with Gwadar Pro. Majid noted, there is a skill “gap” in fresh engineers as they are “good at designs but there was a gap for execution across the market.” Such courses, says Majid, will fill the skill gap and make newly graduated engineers skilled labour, technicians, and associate engineers who are currently in high demand in Pakistan. “…Through these courses, they have hands-on experience. Then we offer them jobs,” Majid said. While talking to Gwadar Pro, Faiz Bhutta, CEO of ETRC, revealed that another similar training programme is also in the pipeline. “In the same way, we have to train female [students], and there are 50 females who will be trained,” the CEO said, adding that “this is basically a collaboration-based programme. We will take it to KPK, Islamabad, and also Karachi.” As per Majid, future training sessions will take place in more Pakistani cities and also be extended to more majors including bachelor of science in engineering (BSE). “I am very thankful to them [LONGi and ETRC] from the bottom of my heart that they have been working for the solar industry for many years and they are training other engineers. Knowledge increases by sharing with others. This is an example in front of us,” Muhammad Rana Abbas, president of the Pakistan Solar Association said.