One of the biggest challenges our veterans face when coming back home is finding new jobs.  In fact, reports have shown that our vets face a higher unemployment rate than civilians – even in our own sunny Florida. This is why US Solar Institute is proud to help our former military members with our vets solar training program.

For younger vets, the unemployment rate approaches 30% at times.

The educational benefits under the GI Bill were created, in part, to fix this problem.  By making education more affordable for our men and women in uniform, the hope was that veterans could more easily qualify for high-paying jobs across a broad range of industries.

A major setback, however, is the length of time that most vocational and academic degrees take to finish.  Even with lower tuition costs, many veterans find it difficult to juggle classes on

top of part-time jobs – for months or years at a time.

Solar Training for Veterans – Minimal Time & Maximum Results

Although many of the traditional educational paths (nursing, IT, law, etc.) can take years to complete, there is a whole universe of jobs that require less training and provide almost immediate employment once you graduate.

We’re talking, of course, about solar PV installation jobs – a career field in which you can complete almost all your certification and testing in about 1 standard workweek.

Just imagine – by one week from today, you could be trained in certified in professional solar installation.

But why now?  Why has solar training suddenly become some magic bullet for high unemployment amongst veterans?

Because at select programs across the country, solar training will soon be covered under the GI Bill and all of its ancillary programs, including the Montgomery Bill (Chapter 30 & Chapter 33) and the Post 911 Bill.

It’s quite possible that US Solar Institute will be among those schools selected by the Department of Veterans Affairs to begin accepting solar training benefits for members of the Armed Forces.

Affordable Solar Training for Veterans Just Became More Affordable

In the grand scheme of things, solar training is one of the most affordable vocational disciplines you can pursue (read our blog entry on the topic).  But if partially or entirely covered under veterans benefits, solar training will become even more affordable – almost a steal.

Is Solar Training for Veterans Really a Magic Bullet?

Earlier, we referred to solar training as a “magic bullet” for fixing veterans unemployment in Florida and elsewhere in the US.  We were joking, of course, but the truth is not that far off.

Think about it.

  • Solar training, which is already very affordable, is about to become much cheaper thanks to veterans benefits
  • You can complete your solar training in under 1 week, instead of the months and years required for other occupations
  • The solar industry is growing at an incredible rate.  Last year, new solar jobs grew by 7%, compared to the national average of 0.7% for most other jobs
  • Solar installers are hungry for more talent, citing lack of qualified labor as one of the primary obstacles to continued growth

So here we have a large population of out-of-work but enthusiastic citizens, a certification course that you can complete in 40 hours, and an industry facing a labor gap.  All set against a backdrop of high unemployment and growing demand for solar installations.

When you add all of this up, solar training for veterans really could make a world of difference.

To learn how we can help you secure solar training using veterans benefits, contact us today.