Guidelines for Entry-Level Solar Technician Training

Building, operating, and maintaining any power generation project requires a high level of electrical safety awareness, training, technical skills, knowledge, and the personal discipline to always act in a safe manner. Solar PV energy sites are unique in that there are so many tasks to be performed by so few technicians, often without the specializations found in traditional generation facilities. To address these issues, guidelines have been prepared in cooperation among the members of American Clean Power Association (ACP) with collaboration and support from the decades of experience training in the solar industry, Solar Energy International (SEI).

The Entry-Level, Utility-Scale Solar PV O&M Technician Guidelines establish a transparent and valid set of standardized skills for entry level technician roles in operations and maintenance for utility-scale solar PV facilities that are connected directly to the grid. These guidelines can help:

• Alleviate the continued pressure on costs and resources
• Reduce bottlenecks in training
• Provide a stable, competent entry level workforce
• Reduce recruitment constraints by knowledgeable entry level O&M technicians ready for company qualifications and experience
• Decrease training duplication
• Reduce the pressure on recruitment and training.