Soon, 10 military bases across the U.S. will be hosting the Solar Ready Vets program, announced President Obama earlier this month.
This wonderful new program partners skilled veterans with the burgeoning solar energy industry. Over an intensive four-to-six week training period, the veterans (at no cost to them) become prepared for a career in clean energy. These individuals learn from leading SunShot solar trainers on how to succeed as solar photovoltaic (PV) system installers, sales representatives, system inspectors, and other solar-related professionals.
Not only does the Solar Vets Program gear up our nation’s heroes for what will soon be one of our country’s biggest industries, it also helps the U.S. meet the president’s goals of training 75,000 solar workers by 2020 and cutting net greenhouse gas emissions 26-28% below 2005 levels by the year 2025.
As LifeStyle Homes has reiterated, solar is primed to drastically change our nation, and thus, our workforce. In 2014, one out of every 78 new jobs created in the U.S. was created by the solar industry—employing nearly 174,000 full-time workers today. And with at least 190,000 veterans leaving the U.S. military each year for the next several years, the Solar Ready Vets program matches highly qualified individuals with growing industry demand.
Some of the largest solar companies in the U.S. are already offering jobs to vets who have completed the training. In fact, every graduate of the first training group has received at least one job offer, proving the solar-vet partnership is a promising one.