By Megan Howes, program coordinator for The Solar Foundation
This week, the international solar community is gathering in Anaheim to discuss market trends, explore technological innovations and share industry expertise. Coincidentally, communities across the country are also recognizing National Clean Energy Week, which celebrates the growing role of renewable energy, led by solar, to power local economies through infrastructure and job growth. The solar industry’s continued growth will depend on a talented and diverse solar workforce. Planning for long-term workforce strength and stability requires investing in the networks and skills of the people on rooftops, in the field, in labs and in classrooms who power the industry every day.
Toward this goal, the Solar Training Network, a program led by The Solar Foundation and funded by the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office, has launched a new online platform to facilitate career connections and support workforce partnerships across the solar industry. AmericanSolarWorkforce.org is an innovative and improved version of the program’s initial platform, with powerful tools to support solar employers and career seekers alike.
The most prominent new feature is a solar-focused job board, where employers can post open positions and connect with thousands of candidates nationwide who are specifically interested in solar careers. With a goal to streamline solar hiring to efficiently find quality candidates, employers can search and filter candidates by job category, skills and location; review applications and reach out to potential hires. The career platform is free to use and open to all solar employers and job candidates.
Workforce development is a process of leveraging networks and resources through diverse partnerships to build a steady pipeline of talent. Accordingly, AmericanSolarWorkforce.org offers an extended suite of original research and resources from the Solar Training Network and The Solar Foundation, as well as affiliate resources to make it easier for solar employers to understand national training and hiring trends, recognize the value of industry-led workforce initiatives and make better-informed decisions based on labor market data.
“As a growing industry, it is our responsibility to attract and train a diverse workforce with the skills necessary to build a cleaner energy future,” said Cameron Bard, director of operations at Cypress Creek Renewables. “Cypress Creek is proactively investing in workforce development in communities throughout the country and today’s launch of the Solar Training Network’s new website strengthens our goal to expand job opportunities for the next generation of solar professionals.”
An important aspect of workforce development is information sharing across the industry. A new resource, “The Solar Panel,” is launching today as part of this online platform. The panel features a group of Solar Training Network members from across the industry, representing diverse stakeholders and solar markets. The panel weighed in on workforce development challenges, trends, innovations and solutions to provide real-world context for the industry. The panel will be expanded in the future, and as the industry grows, this conversation will continue to take shape.
AmericanSolarWorkforce.org is a national platform, but it encourages local and regional connections by creating a space for any member of the solar community to share news and upcoming events, such as industry-education summits, career fairs, press releases or webinars.
Addressing solar workforce challenges goes far beyond hiring, and AmericanSolarWorkforce.org is much more than a job board. This platform supports a better qualified, more diverse, better connected and job-ready solar workforce by making it easier for all stakeholders, particularly employers, to start conversations and establish partnerships. Through this platform, the Solar Training Network will continue to support initiatives that strengthen regional networks and support quality training, as solar continues to be a leading source of American job growth.
Solar employers and career seekers can get started now by creating a free profile on AmericanSolarWorkforce.org.
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