A new online platform is designed to help solar companies recruit qualified candidates, allow job seekers to find career and training opportunities, and help the solar industry build a strong and diverse workforce.
AmericanSolarWorkforce.org is managed by the Solar Training Network, a program led by The Solar Foundation and funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Energy Technologies Office. The tool is a revised and improved version of an earlier online platform.
Using this platform, which is free of charge, employers can post opportunities on a solar job board and connect with candidates looking for career opportunities. Employers can also create company profiles, review candidate applications and communicate with potential hires.
Solar career seekers can create profiles, apply for jobs, identify training providers and make connections with solar companies. The platform also allows community colleges, workforce boards and nonprofits to create directory listings and build relationships with solar employers and candidates.
“This new online platform helps meet an urgent need for top-quality solar employees across the United States,” explains Andrea Luecke, president and executive director of The Solar Foundation. “The platform allows solar employers to expand their networks and make valuable connections with job seekers, training providers and workforce development professionals in their area. We now invite all solar companies and job candidates to create a free account at AmericanSolarWorkforce.org.”
The Solar Training Network developed this platform following a 2017 report, Solar Training Hiring and Insights, which found that a majority of solar employers found current job board services insufficient or difficult to use.
“As the U.S. solar industry continues to rapidly grow, connecting solar companies with a diverse pool of top-notch candidates will allow the industry to not only expand but thrive,” notes Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association. “I’d encourage every solar company and solar job seeker to take advantage of this platform’s free tools and resources.”
AmericanSolarWorkforce.org is a counterpart to a recently launched toolkit, Strategies for Workforce Development, which outlines steps for solar companies to engage with local workforce development resources and build a pipeline of talented employees. To that end, the online platform also includes a clearinghouse for original research and other resources to support solar workforce development.
