Today more than ever before, the technical and management skills, motivation and activation of employees are crucial preconditions for the sustainable success, productivity and innovation of SMEs in the Mediterranean Area.

To achieve this goal, The Industrial Research Institute, IRI, Lebanese partner of MAIA-TAQA project successfully conducted 60hrs of Train of Trainers (ToT) focusing on skills development and implementations in Small and Medium-sized companies despite all the challenges the SMEs are currently facing.

The lessons were addressed to key actors involved in SMEs: company owners, management representatives, social partners and professional organizations at the sectoral and national level.

The series of trainings covered a number of thematic topics in the field of "Resource efficiency services (consulting, engineering and operations) in the Mediterranean Area" such as:

• Identification of real needs and introduction to different available technologies to cover them;
• Financing possibilities and framework of implementation;
• Installation and supervision of installations;
• Testing, startup and commissioning
• Operation, maintenance and after sales services;
• Applicable legal framework and standardization / certification issues.

Participants benefitted from the practical and theoretical knowledge of a range of renewable energy and energy efficiency systems, delivered by University professors and leading experts in their field with more than 30 years of expertise.

The training sessions started with typical challenges SMEs regularly face when it comes to training and skills development with renewable energy services then developed  the sessions and learned  how to cope with challenges and develop innovative and successful solutions, e.g.: Description of different innovative technologies to address the needs for drinking water, overcoming organizational barriers and obstacles for training; unlocking financial means to support training activities Developing suitable methods and techniques for wastewater treatment and addressing current and structural challenges of innovative services for which the demand is increasing, especially with regard to demographic change.

At the end of the sessions and following a presentation of their own researches in the field and an evaluation by the project team of experts, six participants were awarded a Trainers Certificate in Resource Efficiency Services.

Some testimonials from the certified trainer

“The training helped us understand and overcome the barriers of developing innovative solutions required for solving the wastewater treatment shortage in Lebanon.”  Mohamad Kazma

“The MAIA-TAQA training helped in refreshing my knowledge about the waste water treatment topic and updated me with new developments in the field.”  Claudette Hajj 

“During our training we learned new innovative solution in managing water and wastewater projects starting from the concept design and feasibility study to safe operation and maintenance of plants.”  Chanel El Hifnawy