Vocational training continues to evolve, and the Renewable Energies classroom at our school has become the epicentre of two cutting-edge innovation projects led by Maialen Artetxe. Thanks to the collaboration with other educational institutions and companies in the sector, these projects are marking a before and after in how the operation of a hydroelectric and pumping plant is taught.
Two projects to transform the classroom
The first, ‘Interactive pumping station simulator’, developed together with the CIFP Aguas Nuevas de Albacete and the company Equipos Eléctricos S.L. (EQUIPEL), seeks to recreate in an interactive way the operation of a pumping station. These installations, in addition to generating energy like a conventional hydroelectric power station, allow water to be reused by pumping it back to the dam, maximising resources.
4.0 Technology applied to learning
Both projects are aligned with the challenges of digitalisation and 4.0 technology, including real-time monitoring systems through digital screens and synchronoscopes. This not only makes it possible to visualise key data during operations, but also to design dynamic practices where students manipulate, assemble and disassemble real equipment.
‘We want students to be able to experience the entire energy generation process in a practical way, from the coupling of the generator to the analysis of consumption data’, Maialen explains. In addition, these projects connect different training modules and open the door to interdisciplinary collaborations with specialisations such as Digitalisation of Industrial Maintenance or Artificial Intelligence and Big Data.
A personal and professional challenge
For Maialen, participating in these projects not only enriches her profile as a teacher but also keeps her in touch with the latest innovations in the sector. ‘It is a step towards more practical teaching linked to the industrial world. These modeled practices complement the visits to real stations and help students to better understand the processes,’ she says.
With these initiatives, VET shows that it is an educational pathway at the forefront of innovation, training professionals prepared for the challenges of the energy future.
