Thanks to the European Commission–supported SEED energy education project, Valencia’s VET community discovered a world of new connections and opportunities. SEED not only brought together local and international partners but also alerted our VET teachers and students to the exciting Turku University of Applied Sciences’ PV Summer School, held June 2–6, 2025.
Under SEED’s umbrella—and with UPV serving as Spain’s regional coordinator—one teacher and two students from the Valencia VET team joined 32 eager participants (3 teachers, 29 students, 20% women) from seven institutions from countries, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain. Together, they formed a vibrant network, diving into the world of solar energy with practical workshops, exchanging ideas, and building friendships that will last well beyond the classroom.
The Summer School combined:
Four weeks online (“Learning PV Fundamentals”) in May: engaging videos, hands-on exercises and live lectures set a solid base in photovoltaic principles.
One week on-site in Turku: from June 2 to 6, participants immersed themselves in practical workshops at five inspiring venues:
- PV Installations: fitting real solar panels and wiring systems.
- PV Manufacturing: assembling a module by hand at Solar Finland’s factory.
- Large-Scale Solar Parks: exploring how utility-scale projects come to life.
- PV in Africa Workshop: learning from Green Power Brains’ pioneering solar work in Ghana.
For Valencia’s VET team, this was more than a course—it was a gateway to an international community passionate about clean energy. SEED made it possible to forge both local ties and cross-border partnerships, enriching the Valencian region’s skills and ambitions.