Schneider Electric Donates 300KVA Transformer To Institute

Schneider Electric, global specialist in energy management, has donated a 300KVA distribution transformer to the Institute for Industrial Technology (IIT) in Lagos.

Schneider Electric made the donation to the institute under its corporate social responsibility initiative.

Prior to this donation, the institute and its environs were not connected to the national grid thereby resulting in arbitrarily high costs of running the institute on generators.

In 2008, Schneider Electric embarked on an access to energy programme, which included the provision of sustainable renewable energy solutions to people at the base of the pyramid and strong investments in electrical technical training.

Speaking at the inauguration event, country President, Mr Marcel Hochet, said: “We are not only here to do business, but also to contribute to the development of the people and society. We are, especially, concerned about technical education and are committed to increasing the levels that exist today in the country. Standard technical training is essential to real economic development and will continue to invest in training and maintain our partnership with IIT.” IIT, is a world class, non-profit, single sex, technical-vocational school, known for its high technical and moral standards.

“IIT offers top-quality hands-on practical skills training to Nigerian youths and adults mainly from the lower income stratum of society. The extremely high quality training received has enabled its students become easily employable and to advance rapidly in their carriers. This empowers students to improve their family income, hence, their socio economic conditions. Programmes include courses in electromechanics, mechatronics, modular programmes (welding, electrical installation, bricklaying, refrigeration and air conditioning, pipework, titling) and pneumatics and valves.

In his appreciation speech also at the event, current Director of IIT, Mr Olumide Akinjo, said the gesture by Schneider Electric could not have come at a better time, when the school was in dire need of a regular source of electricity supply. He added that the provision of grid electricity has greatly reduced the cost of running the school.

He thanked the management of Schneider Electric for its support in educational and training materials over the last four years and expressed the institute’s interest to continue and grow the partnership between the two.