Solar Training and Jobs in the US

Written by Chris J. Hillman | 30 April 2012

The solar industry is a great place to find a job. After maintaining strong growth in 2010 and 2011, the industry is projected to keep growing at a much faster pace than most other industries. This is driven by the energy crisis, government incentives, and the cost of solar reaching parity with other energy sources.

In the US there are currently more than 100,000 workers with job growth expected in the 20-30% range for next few years according to the Solar Foundation 2011 Census.  The main jobs in the solar industry are Installers, designers, project managers, engineers, sales and marketing, and support positions. Construction experience or electrical experience is the best background for many of these jobs, although getting current training in specific skills, techniques and certifications is also important if making a career transition.

Jobs by the state

The solar industry is growing at different rates in different states, due to varying government support, business climate and climate. The following is a breakdown of the number of solar jobs and the leading solar states in 2011*:

Jobs by the numbers

There are 100,237 solar workers in the United States, up from 93,000 last year.  This represents an overall growth rate of 6.8% over the past year, nearly 10 times higher than the national average employment growth rate of 0.7%. Solar job growth over the next 12 months is anticipated to be almost 24% in the US, representing approximately 24,000 additional new jobs. Sales professionals and solar installers will be in the most demand as the industry grows.

Current percentage of workers by category (Solar Institute Survey)

1. Sales                 35%
2. Installation        22%
3. Manufacturing  14%
4. Other                  17%

Breaking into the workforce

Getting into the solar industry is easiest with those with direct training, whether it is a short training program or a full-fledged multi-year degree program. Holding certifications that are job specific are requirements for employment in many areas of the solar industry. See the listing below of job descriptions and requirements.

Certifications

Solar Installer Training
Image Courtesy of Mage Solar AcademyVarious regions of the world have different certifications. In the US, the main certifying organization is NABCEP (North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners). The organization offers training and certification for: Entry level Exam, Certified PV Installer, and PV Technical Salesperson

Training programs

To find a training or educational program (if you are based in the US), the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC). website lists university programs and training organizations to help those who wish to enter the clean energy workforce. It offers a list of 39 universities with courses or complete programs in renewable energy. IREC’s training providers list offers 132 independent and community college programs that help train installers in all technologies.

While IREC hasn’t evaluated all programs, see the ISPQ (Institute for Sustainable Power Quality) list, which includes those programs that have earned IREC’s “gold star of approval”. A few of the training providers include:

Solar Living Institute

Solar Energy International

Boots on the Roof

Allied Business Schools

Ontility

Everblue

Mage Solar Academy

Job responsibilities and requirements

• Apprentice installer

Responsibilities: performs a myriad of tasks from site assessment to roof installation, and may include connection of power electronics.

Requirements: Experience with tools, ability to follow directions and work safely and efficiently. A background in construction is helpful and training is available through schools, internships, or employment.

• Experienced solar PV installer

Responsibilities:  Will work on all phases of installations from site assessment to roof installation.

Requirements: A minimum requirement is 18 months of system installation experience.  NABCEP certification or working toward certification is helpful along with a working knowledge of NEC Code.

• Lead PV installer

Responsibilities: Responsible for all facets of PV project implementation including: managing a team of installers, leading the installation, and project commissioning.

Requirements: Must have experience with crew safety, working with project manager/designer, and project tracking including safety documentation, installation time, inventory reconciliation, and installation/safety photos. Strong knowledge of code, electrical wiring, and Installation experience is required. NABCEP certification is recommended.

• Solar salesperson, outside

Responsibilities: Prospecting for clients, using online tools and conducting preliminary site evaluations for initial design, proposals, communicating with project management.

Requirements: Bachelor ’s degree and solar certification is helpful.

• Solar sales, inside

Responsibilities: Managing leads and scheduling appointments for outside salespeople, determining suitability of sites using tools, and satellite technology.

Requirements: Customer service skills and ability to work as a team. Bachelors degree helpful, and solar certification is a recommended goal.

• Project manager

Responsibilities: Managing the project cycle for solar projects, participate in design, overseeing field teams, managing subcontractors, budgeting and scheduling.

Requirements: Bachelors degree is minimum level of education, and solar certification is helpful.

• PV designer

Responsibilities: Use AutoCAD to create full plan sets for residential PV or commercial systems and to, track permit process, Must work as a team with sales, project  and installation management.

Requirements: Bachelors degree is minimum level of education, and solar certification is helpful.

About the Author

Chris J. Hillman is Manager Renewable Energy, Allied Business Schools in Laguna Hills, California (US).