ABB helps to train Red Cross engineers
14-02-2012 Feature
As part of a long-standing sponsorship agreement with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), ABB engineers have helped in the training of ICRC engineers. Their training work was described as very successful, and highly motivating for those who took part.
Under the new ABB six-year agreement signed in November 2011, ABB will contribute to the ICRC’s Water and Habitat program. The ICRC’s water and habitat engineers ensure access to water in conflict zones and create or maintain a sustainable living environment.
The ICRC offers a seven-day training module on various topics of electricity (production, storage, distribution, consumption) to increase the competences of expatriate water and habitat engineers. The ICRC asked ABB to help with the topic “Motors and Control Panels for Centrifugal Pumps” during a recent training session which took place in the ICRC’s home city of Geneva, Switzerland.
Jeff Joeicemir, a Brazilian citizen who works in the business unit Motors and Generators in Switzerland, and Jukka Tolvanen, a Finnish citizen who works in the business unit Low Voltage Drives in Finland, gave a one and half day’s introduction to the world of motors and the speed control of pumps. For ABB engineers this was an opportunity to extend training to engineers working in really demanding and rough environments.
And it was also a nice opportunity for a training engineer to do something out of the ordinary - and for a good cause. “Working with the ICRC team reminded me how important technology can be for the improvement of human lives,” said Jeff Joeicemir. “It is also humbling to hear the experiences of the participants, who are doing their work under very difficult circumstances in conflict zones around the world,” added Jukka Tolvanen.
“For the ICRC, it is very enriching to associate external partners such as ABB engineers in our trainings, in order to ensure that our engineers receive professional and up-to-date technical knowledge” said Florence Dapples, ICRC engineer, in charge of engineering training programs, “and we warmly thank Jeff and Jukka for their appreciated contribution !”.
