IREC Announces Free Workforce Technical Assistance for Community Solar Developers and Contractors
IREC is Proud to be a Member of the Solar for All Community Power Coalition
Interested in receiving technical assistance for solar workforce development? Complete our intake form to learn more.
In April 2024, the EPA awarded $7 billion to support solar adoption and capacity through the Solar For All (SFA) program. Solar For All funds were awarded to nonprofits, territories, Tribal governments, communities, states, and a wide variety of community-focused organizations.
As a sub-awardee on a Solar For All program, IREC is excited to announce its efforts to support solar workforce development, with a focus on community solar and multifamily installations.
IREC is a member of a team led by Inclusive Prosperity Capital (IPC), a boundaryless nonprofit green bank. IPC leads the Community Power Coalition (CPC), which is funded under Solar For All to build capacity for mission-driven community and multifamily solar developers and expand solar and storage in low-to-moderate income households and communities.
As a member of the CPC, IREC plays a pivotal role in leading the team’s workforce development coordination efforts. These efforts aim to link community and multifamily solar developers and contractors with organizations in their communities that can help them hire qualified candidates that they might not otherwise reach. The result will be increased opportunities for members of these communities to obtain “high road” careers in the solar industry, and improved hiring and staffing outcomes for participating developers and contractors.
Other members of the coalition are Black Owners of Solar Services (BOSS), the Clean Energy Group, the Coalition for Community Solar Access, Community Housing Capital, GRID Alternatives, the People’s Solar Energy Fund, ROC-USA, Sustainable Underwriting for Resiliency & Efficiency, LLC (SURE), Neighbor Works Capital, and the University of New Hampshire.
Technical Assistance Opportunities
IREC will provide facilitated technical assistance for community and multifamily solar developers, as well as their contractors, education and training providers, and other organizations in the workforce ecosystem. This individualized support will increase awareness of solar industry opportunities, support partnerships, and encourage collaboration to support a robust and highly skilled solar workforce.
“This is a pivotal time for the solar industry, and developers face an urgent need to connect with skilled employees in the regions where they work,” said Pagan Poggione, Senior Director, Strategic Workforce Engagement. “We are so excited to draw on IREC’s longstanding expertise in workforce development to support expanded career opportunities in community and multifamily solar, helping to make clean energy accessible to all.”
Our services will include developing or connecting to Registered Apprenticeship programs; making connections to curricula and training opportunities; and providing access to workforce planning tools, templates, and state-specific workforce ecosystem resources. IREC will also facilitate engagement through working groups, webinars, and monthly office hours.
To build these connections, IREC will leverage its Green Workforce Connect platform, a hub that connects job seekers, employers, and training providers, and raises awareness of opportunities in the clean energy and energy efficiency workforce. The Connect Now tool on Green Workforce Connect includes a directory of hundreds of solar training providers across the country. The platform’s extensive Resource Library includes links to templates, webinars, and other resources to support hiring, training, and retention needs.
IREC’s technical assistance services will increase the ability of people from all backgrounds—including people from low-income and disadvantaged communities, along with veterans and transitioning service members—so they can gain access to opportunities in this growing industry.
Mapping State Workforce Opportunities
To begin this process, IREC is mapping the workforce ecosystem to identify training providers, employers, workforce development boards, and community-based organizations in key states. We will create resources and toolkits that can be used by community solar developers, contractors, and others in the workforce development network. Using these tools, IREC hopes to ensure that labor demand and labor supply are aligned, that education and training are matched to the needs of available jobs, and that wraparound services such as transportation assistance, childcare support, and career counseling and coaching are available for those who need them.
Overall, we’re excited to join the CPC in its efforts to provide training, technical assistance, capacity-building support, and project financial assistance to developers to support the expansion of community and multifamily solar for low-income communities. We are committed to supporting solar accessibility and energy resilience for low-income and other communities that can most benefit from the clean energy transition. This initiative will help to make clean energy adoption—and access to quality jobs in the industry—possible for all.
Are you a community solar developer or contractor, solar training provider, community-based organization, or other workforce development organization interested in learning more about technical assistance opportunities? Complete our intake form to learn more.
This project has been funded wholly or in part by the United States Environmental Protection Agency under assistance agreement (FAIN) 84087901 to Inclusive Prosperity Capital, Inc. The contents of this document do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Environmental Protection Agency, nor does the Environmental Protection Agency endorse trade names or recommend the use of commercial products mentioned in this document, as well as any images, video, text, or other content created by generative artificial intelligence tools, nor does any such content necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Environmental Protection Agency.
