IREC Annual Meeting October 11,2010

Workforce Development: “Building Today's Clean Energy Workforce”

 5 – Year Cooperative Agreement  (Starting 10/10)

 Overarching Goal: “The primary goal of this project is to help facilitate and

support the creation of a well-trained and highly-qualified solar energy workforce of sufficient size and diversity to meet the projected needs of this country by working closely with the nine Regional Training Providers (RTPs) and necessary stakeholders in a highly-coordinated effort.”

Mission Statement: “To promote the development of quality training at the local level to meet solar market needs.”

Guiding Principles 1) Provide training where training is needed. 2) Expand the types of training currently being offered at each RTP to include code and building officials, inspectors, and firefighters. 3) Ensure that the type of training programs offered at each RTP is consistent with industry standards, and establishing a mechanism for continually updating training that mirrors changes in solar technology and applications. 4) Ensure training programs do not out-grow industry demand -- in other words, seek responsible growth.

Guiding Principles Continued

5) Integrate solar training standards and curriculum into the existing educational and workforce infrastructure. 6) Provide a forum where each RTP can flourish in a way that builds on their strengths. 7) Provide a means for the RTPs to share their strongest qualities among the group including the sharing of innovative training practices. 8) Establish strong ties among the training providers and workforce investment boards (WIBs) and agencies.

Thank You Joe Sarubbi

Interstate Renewable Energy Council joesarubbi@irecusa.org