The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) has launched The SEIA Online Learning Center, an online platform that provides comprehensive educational programming for companies, clean energy professionals and people looking to join the solar and storage industry.

The rollout of the learning center coincides with the launch of its flagship Solar 101 Program.

With market forecasts calling for hundreds of thousands of new solar and storage workers this decade, Solar 101 serves as a critical tool to ensure the industry manages its growing workforce development needs by providing education resources directly to individual workers.

Solar 101 is open to individuals and SEIA members and non-members alike. There are nearly 30 lessons across 11 topics and the lessons range from introductions to solar terminology and market segments to policy overviews and more detailed technical training.

“The solar and storage workforce is not going to grow to one million Americans by 2030 on its own, so there was a clear need for SEIA to step up with tools to help companies address mounting workforce development challenges,” said SEIA president and CEO Abigail Ross Hopper. “Solar 101 will equip this generation of energy workers with the knowledge they need to grow the clean energy economy and capitalize on an unprecedented window of policy certainty.”

Solar 101 is designed to meet users where they are with substantive education, whether they are a 20-year industry veteran looking to expand their skills or a newcomer being introduced to solar and storage for the first time. SEIA will continue to roll out more advanced content to provide value to users as they work through the program, including industry-specific topics like consumer protection and photovoltaics recycling.

Solar 101 is available through The SEIA Online Learning Center, where members can also access archived webinar content and SEIA’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice Certification Program.

“We have a responsibility as an industry leader to provide resources that welcome a diverse group of people into the solar and storage family,” said SEIA vice president of equity and workforce development Erika Symmonds. “This new platform builds a bridge into one of America’s fastest-growing industries, and SEIA is committed to making sure that training and other wealth-building opportunities are accessible to communities of all backgrounds.”

Each Solar 101 lesson is focused on delivering concise information in a digestible 5- to 10-minute video format. SEIA is offering discounts for Solar 101 to SEIA members, students and other critical stakeholders to be announced at a later date.

News item from SEIA