301 Moved Permanently

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For men and women preparing to exit from U.S. military service, the transition to the civilian workforce can be a daunting prospect. There is no simple road map for veterans to follow when embarking on a new career path or figuring out how to move from a highly structured military environment to the more open-ended opportunities of civilian life. Veterans also face the challenge of showing employers how their military experience is transferable to a new career.

The good news is that for many recent veterans, one of the most attractive career opportunities is in solar - and employers are hiring.

 

Military experience

It’s no secret that the solar industry is in the midst of explosive growth in the U.S., with new job openings to match. The Solar Foundation’s annual Solar Jobs Census found the U.S. solar industry employed nearly 209,000 workers as of November 2015, marking the third consecutive year of at least 20% job growth. Solar employment is growing 12 times faster than the overall economy, and the industry is expected to add another 30,000 new jobs in 2016.

In addition, military veterans make up a significant portion of the solar workforce. The Solar Jobs Census found 8% of the people now working in solar are veterans, which is higher than the proportion of veterans in the overall U.S. workforce (7%). Nevertheless, many of those leaving the military may not be familiar with the booming solar jobs market or how their military experience could make them a perfect fit for a career in solar.

Exiting military personnel face the challenge of showing how their experience will transfer to a civilian career, says Brian Crawford, a retired staff sergeant from the U.S. Army. Crawford is now the veteran’s outreach and operations recruiter at Level Solar, a company that installs solar panels on residences in New York and Massachusetts.

“The biggest challenge for transitioning soldiers is translating skills and capabilities from the military sector into a résumé, a conversation and an interview for the civilian job sector. This means ‘taking the combat boots off your résumé’ and translating military experience into civilian jobs and skills,” he says.

It’s equally important that solar companies learn how valuable these individuals are to their businesses. Careers in the solar industry require both technical and nontechnical skills. In the military, servicemembers build leadership and critical thinking skills, gain experience with team building, and learn to handle stressful situations.

There are many reasons why military service can be excellent training for a variety of jobs in the industry. Although servicemembers come with very diverse experiences and skill sets, there are common qualities that make them stand out. Responsibility, self-reliance and discipline are deeply instilled into all veterans and are very attractive traits to employers, and many veterans have acquired technical skills that demonstrate a strong aptitude for a solar career.

The military also places high importance on teamwork, which is excellent preparation for a job in solar, says retired Air Force Brigadier General Steve DePalmer, who works with The Solar Foundation on a program called Solar Ready Vets.

“Putting stuff up on a roof requires teamwork, and there’s a certain dance that goes on when you’re installing these systems, and not everybody’s doing the same job at once,” he says. “So, you have to work together.”

 

A range of career options

The opportunities in solar do not end with installation jobs. In fact, the career possibilities in solar for veterans are diverse and are applicable to many different skill sets and areas of interest. Jobs are available for sales representatives, technicians, project managers, engineers and much more. A useful place to look is the Solar Career Map, available at irecsolarcareermap.org, which allows prospective job candidates to explore the full range of job titles in solar.

For veterans, especially attractive are the possibilities for career advancement. For those who start out with an entry-level installation job, the leadership skills acquired in the military can allow veterans to move up the career ladder in a relatively short time.

“Even if they didn’t come out of the military with a high rank, they have been put in situations where they have witnessed leadership or they’ve had to step forward to provide their own leadership,” DePalmer says. “In my opinion, the potential for them to be given supervisory roles in the solar industry is going to be greater than someone else without military experience.”

Working in solar also provides a meaningful career experience that allows veterans to continue making a positive impact on the world after their time in the military is over. As they help build the infrastructure for a clean, domestic energy source that reduces our reliance on fossil fuels, a job in solar gives them the opportunity for homefront service.

 

Training opportunities

How do exiting military personnel make the jump to a career in solar? For most, an essential first step is a solar training course. Regardless of their experience in the military, job candidates will greatly benefit from training on the basic principles of working in the solar industry. Solar training also gives them credentials, signaling to employers that they are qualified and motivated candidates.

Currently, transitioning military personnel can apply to obtain solar training through Solar Ready Vets at 10 military bases across the country. The Solar Foundation is the lead administrator for this program, which was established by the U.S. Department of Energy SunShot Initiative. Solar Ready Vets is enabled by the U.S. Department of Defense SkillBridge Initiative, which helps transitioning military members prepare for jobs in the private sector.

Solar Ready Vets is specifically geared toward transitioning military personnel who are within six months of separation from service. Participants take part in a four- to six-week training course in which they gain hands-on experience with solar installation, learn solar electrical basics, focus on safety, and gain résumé-writing and interview skills. The curriculum also includes either OSHA 10 or OSHA 30 safety training. After the coursework, students take the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners entry-level exam. The program connects trainees with employer partners for interview opportunities and information on job prospects. (Solar employers interested in joining the program can sign up at SolarReadyVeterans.org.)

Military personnel and veterans can also take their own initiative and sign up for solar training courses, which are typically offered at local community colleges. Anyone interested in solar training can connect with the Solar Training Network, a new program that is also funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and led by The Solar Foundation. The Solar Training Network will soon launch a website to help connect job seekers, employers and solar trainers. Those looking to join the program can sign up at SolarTrainingUSA.org for more information.

 

More solar job resources

The job search can be difficult for transitioning military personnel. The transition assistance programs in each branch of the military will be available to help, but it is important that other available career resources are also utilized. LinkedIn offers a program specifically for recently transitioned veterans that provides a free year of Premium Job Seeker Account status, which provides more robust data on organizations, additional direct messaging capabilities, and additional search filters, among other benefits, and a free year of online courses on Lynda.com. It is also an excellent platform to utilize for networking, following companies of interest, connecting with a mentor and securing informational interviews with potential employers.

There are also a wide variety of national, regional and local nonprofit organizations that seek to assist transitioning servicemembers with their job search, such as Hiring Our Heroes, Helmets to Hardhats, the Veteran Staffing Network and the Women Veterans Interactive, to name just a few.

Although there are many challenges military personnel face as they transition to civilian life, these men and women can find solace in knowing they have a valuable set of skills to contribute to the workforce. Solar is a burgeoning industry with vast opportunities that match the unique skill sets of servicemembers. These skills, paired with some basic solar training, make veterans great candidates for solar companies doing installation, sales, manufacturing, design and management.

Members of the military are motivated individuals with the right attitude for the workforce. They have dedicated their lives to serving their country, and the solar industry allows them to continue their service even after they exit the military. By contributing to the clean energy economy, they help to ensure energy security, which is critical to overall national security and the safety of the American people.

 

Tenley Dalstrom is director of the Solar Ready Vets program administered by The Solar Foundation.