The USAID-NREL Partnership's Colombia Young Leaders Workforce Training Program

To support Colombia's energy transition priorities, the USAID-NREL Partnership, in collaboration with the United States Energy Association (USEA) and Tetra Tech Scaling Up Renewable Energy (SURE), created a training program to ready Colombia's energy sector workforce to participate in the construction, operation, and grid integration of variable renewable energy projects. Nearly 60 early-career professionals from over 20 organizations within the Colombian energy sector participated in the training program. The participant selection process targeted candidates with potential for future leadership roles and included an emphasis on gender diversity and women's involvement, including over 70% female participation.

Four action plans—led by Colombia’s Energy and Gas Regulatory Commission (CREG), Boyacá Energy Company (EBSA), Bogota Energy Group (GEB), and the Association for Renewable Energy (SER) —were selected to receive additional technical assistance and represent an opportunity for growth within the Colombian electricity sector. NREL’s cohort approach to tailored technical assistance drew out important connections, leveraged applicable resources (including research and analysis), fostered robust stakeholder involvement, and facilitated coordinated development across related initiatives.