U.S. DOE Selects Two Winners in Prize to Train Workers for Skilled Jobs in Solar Manufacturing Workforce

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Prize Will Assist Prepare Manufacturing Employees for a Surge of New Amenities

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Division of Power (DOE) introduced the winners within the first spherical of the American-Made Upskill Prize for the Solar Manufacturing Workforce (Upskill Prize). The 2 chosen groups will obtain as much as $500,000 every to implement complete workforce coaching plans, aiming to assist high-quality employment prospects and ability units that may be utilized for profession progress and varied alternatives inside the photo voltaic manufacturing business. DOE additionally opened a second spherical of the prize for brand new candidates.

“The solar industry is thriving, spurring job growth and increasing the demand for skilled workers,” mentioned Jeff Marootian, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Power Effectivity and Renewable Power. “We’re excited to support these prize winners with funding for workforce training partnerships that foster inclusion and create new pathways to good paying jobs and careers in clean energy.”

The photo voltaic manufacturing sector is predicted so as to add greater than 35,000 new jobs following practically $17 billion in deliberate investments because of the Biden-Harris Administration’s technique to strengthen America’s manufacturing and industrial competitiveness. The DOE Photo voltaic Power Applied sciences Workplace (SETO) launched the Upskill Prize in March of 2024 to deal with challenges in scaling the U.S. solar manufacturing workforce. The prize encourages partnerships to coach employees in highly-skilled jobs that producers have struggled to fill, together with semiconductor processors, manufacturing tools technicians, and operators.

The Spherical 1 winners are:

• Louisiana First Photo voltaic Drive: This challenge is a collaboration between the College of Louisiana at Lafayette (ULL) and First Photo voltaic to ascertain a semiconductor technical coaching middle centered on thin-film photo voltaic processes to assist the workforce at First Photo voltaic’s new Louisiana facility. The coaching middle shall be positioned at ULL Analysis Park and supply coaching for operators, technicians, engineers, knowledge scientists, and managers.
• Coaching in Photo voltaic Manufacturing: Crossroads Photo voltaic Enterprises and the Purdue College Manufacturing Extension Partnership are partnering to supply photo voltaic manufacturing coaching to returning residents. The coaching will assist each new and incumbent employees at Crossroads Photo voltaic on subjects together with tools upkeep and high quality administration. Workers may also obtain a certificates from Purdue after finishing coaching.

Spherical 2 contestants ought to submit purposes by November 20. Profitable groups will obtain as much as $500,000 every for his or her submissions. View the official rules and sign up to compete.

The Upskill Prize enhances ongoing SETO investments in an inclusive photo voltaic workforce, together with a $13.5 million funding program comprised of 12 initiatives centered on launching coaching partnerships to develop the photo voltaic vitality workforce.

Learn extra about SETO’s solar workforce development and PV manufacturing efforts.

Courtesy of US DOE.