By Frank Andorka, Senior Correspondent
The Solar Foundation has received a $2 million grant from the Department of Energy’s Solar Energy Technologies Office to expand its solar jobs training efforts, focusing particularly on veterans.
This new program will include an effort to support solar industry apprenticeships for hundreds of transitioning military veterans, preparing them for leadership roles in a rapidly growing industry. The program will also provide expert assistance to help the solar industry leverage workforce development resources and hire more workers from underserved communities.
The Solar Foundation was selected as a part of the Energy Department’s FY2018 SETO funding program, an effort to invest in new projects that will lower solar electricity costs and support a growing solar workforce. The Solar Foundation will work alongside other projects in the funding program to develop training programs that prepare the solar workforce for a more digital electric power system and enable veterans and transitioning military personnel to join the solar workforce.
This new program will expand on The Solar Foundation’s current and previous efforts to help build a pipeline of qualified solar workers across the country, through initiatives such as the Solar Training Network, Solar Ready Vets, and the National Solar Jobs Census.
“We’re committed to building a solar workforce that can meet the urgent challenges of the 21st century,” said Andrea Luecke, President and Executive Director at The Solar Foundation. “This new program will help veterans and other job seekers develop advanced technical skills and become America’s future solar leaders.”
Working with industry partners, the new program will create solar industry apprenticeships for hundreds of veterans departing the armed forces, and develop a scalable model to train even more in the future. This effort will take advantage of the transferable skills that make service members outstanding candidates for careers in solar.
The new solar jobs effort will be led by The Solar Foundation with partnership from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Hiring Our Heroes program, the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP), and Cypress Creek Renewables.