Two extremely encouraging findings emerged from the Solar Foundation’s most recent National Job Census report, which was unveiled at Solar Power International in mid October.
The first surprising tidbit centered around the solar industry’s performance compared to the national economy’s. From August 2010 to August 2011, the US added new jobs at a rate of merely 0.7%, while new positions for solar professionals grew at a staggering 6.8%. Despite the down economy and some serious setbacks within the industry, solar has managed to produce new jobs at a rate ten times that of the national economy.
For any current job seeker, this news alone would be sufficient cause to enroll in a solar energy training program. Courses in this booming industry clearly represent one of the fastest and most direct ways to employment at a time when most other sectors simply are not hiring.
More Reasons to Pursue Solar Energy Training Courses
Far more telling, however, is the second piece of information that came out of the report. While the soar industry did indeed grow by 6.8%, those solar employers that the report originally surveyed in August of 2010 had predicted as much as 26% growth.
Now how could this be “positive” news? After all, the solar companies surveyed in the National Job Census were way off base, predicting job creation at a rate more than four times what actually came to pass. On the surface, there is nothing to celebrate in this discrepancy.
However, a closer look at the data reveals a surprising trend. The report indicates that employers are constantly looking for qualified solar energy professionals – those who have taken licensed and/or accredited training courses in solar panel installation and place an emphasis on on-the-job-training. In fact, demand for graduates of solar energy training courses is so high that the installation companies surveyed estimate that they will need to hire 40-50% more solar installers and technicians over the next 12 months just to keep up with demand.
Solar Panel Installation Training – Key to Job Security and Growth
According to the report, employers frequently cite solar energy training and on-the-job training as two of the most valuable and marketable assets one can bring to the hiring process. Previous training and hands-on experience is necessary because employers simply are not willing to invest the time in training new hires. Those who enroll in a solar panel installation training program and take NABCEP prep courses or are a UL Certified Installer have a much better chance of standing out as employers rush to fill the labor gap currently plaguing the industry.
Mirroring that observation, Andrea Luecke, Executive Director of the Solar Foundation, adds that “This is really one of the biggest challenges that employers face… [they] don’t feel that they have the time or want to incur the liability of training workers.”
Not only is the solar industry outperforming the national average, but also that “out-performance” is not what it could be due to insufficient talent – there simply isn’t enough qualified green labor to satisfy current and future demand. When you combine these two pieces of information together, it becomes clear that certification through a licensed solar panel installation training program could transform your currently frustrating job search into a sea of sun-filled opportunities.