Innovations Unlimited introduces first Renewable Energy Internship Program in Qatar

DOHA, Qatar - Sept. 17, 2014 - PRLog -- Innovations Unlimited ME (IUME), the company behind some of Qatar’s major solar energy project implementations has recently completed the first edition of “KOPERNIK”, its Renewable Energy Internship Program designed for Electrical Engineering students in Qatar to help them capitalise on the unique opportunity of hands-on training.

With its diversified range of projects being implemented simultaneously during 2014 and counting among the early sustainable installations in the country, IUME introduced “KOPERNIK” to deliver on its commitment towards knowledge transfer and fostering local skills development.

Amr Belal, Managing Partner at IUME says: “KOPERNIK aims to contribute to the creation of a qualified local workforce that derives its knowledge from local projects, putting to practical use the learnings from local data under local conditions. We are very proud of the first students who have enrolled in our program this summer from Qatar University and College of the North Atlantic (CNAQ)”.

The program presented students with theoretical, practical and onsite opportunities that culminated in a project assignment to conclude the internship with factual takeaways in real-life application.

In the few weeks stretch of the program, the enrolled students have shadowed various mentors at IUME, spending time in the office and on site, getting introduced to the various facets that structure a renewable energy business in the country. From understanding local and regional drivers, targets and strategies, drilling into feasible technologies, designing system applications, observing project progress, and conducting site inspections, the students were involved in the full spectrum of a project implementation – a unique opportunity in a nascent industry.

Interns Rehab and Mohammed share their thoughts about KOPERNIK – Rehab: “It’s a valuable opportunity, we don’t often get the chance to visit construction sites during our college years; with KOPERNIK we can observe closely the work on site chaperoned by project managers” – Mohammed: “Renewable energy is increasingly under spotlights in the region, I am personally very enthusiastic about its potential and KOPERNIK is giving me the opportunity to work with a team that is delivering the very early projects in my country”.

Being the first program of its kind in Qatar and likely in the region, KOPERNIK is set to stir the interest of students in technologies that promise to play a major role in the future energy scene of the oil rich countries of the gulf.  It similarly plays an important role in pacing the educational curriculum of participating colleges, by equipping interns with valuable intelligence around the reality of requirements and implementations on the ground, thus steering subjects that need to be covered in the next phases of their college education.

Amr and his team were impressed with the level of detail that the interns have applied to their end-of-training presentation. “We wanted students to simulate a real-life example, so we gave them a list of optional projects” says Diala Khairallah, Marketing Manager at IUME. “Their sample proposals were meticulously prepared and reflective of the wealth of information they gathered throughout the stages of their training. The Internship Certificates awarded to them were highly deserved.” She adds: “KOPERNIK has just been shortlisted for the Construction Week Qatar Awards 2014 as an eligible Sustainable Initiative of the year; we are very proud of this recognition and eagerly anticipating the winners announcement later this month”.

   Through KOPERNIK, IUME eagerly strives to inspire generations of young engineers to becoming the clean energy experts that Qatar will be counting on to turn its vision into reality. The program is planned to be a yearly engagement to which top achieving electrical engineering students with interests in renewable energies will compete for their spot.