Setting Standards through Credentialing Programs

Making Sure the Green Economy Doesn’t Get a Black Eye

Jack WernerExecutive Director, Institute for Sustainable PowerJackfwerner@aol.comDecember4-5, 2009 Solar Energy Focus Conference: FALL 2009

Setting Standards through Credentialing Programs

Safeguards for the green economy

� Standards

� Credentialing programs

� Licensure

� Defining the green

(jobs, products, companies, practices)

Value of Certification

� Protects the public

� Establishes standards for professional knowledge, skills and practice

� Assures consumers that professionals have met standards

� Advances the profession

Each credentialing scheme – whether for people, products or services –requires a defensible, balanced and transparent assessment and set of criteria, requirements and standards

First, some definitions…

� Credentialing - umbrella term that includes the concepts of accreditation, licensure, registration, and professional certification.

� Professional certification - voluntary process by which a non-governmental entity grants a time-limited recognition and use of a credential to an individual after verifying that he/she has met predetermined and standardized criteria.

Source: The NOCA Guide to Understanding Credentialing Concepts, 2005

� A curriculum-based certificate - issued after an individual completes a course or series of courses and passes an assessment instrument. One-time look at an individual.

� Accreditation - voluntary process by which a nongovernmental agency grants a time-limited recognition to an institution, organization, business, or other entity after verifying that it has met predetermined and standardized criteria.

Setting Standards: The Task Analysis

� The task (or job) analysis is a formal process for determining what people do, under what working conditions they do it, what they must know to do it, and the skills they must have to do it.

� Tasks are classified as either cognitive or psychomotor skills.

� Skills are further categorized as Critical, Very Important, and Important for job performance.

Raising the bar for RE Installers

North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP)

Offers third-party assessment of renewable energy practitioners

NABCEP’s TAs

� PV Installer Task Analysis� 8 Main Tasks

� 58 Subtasks

� Solar Thermal Installer Task Analysis� 12 Main Tasks

� 129 Subtasks

� Small Wind Installer Task Analysis� 8 Main Tasks

� 101 Subtasks

All available at www.nabcep.org

Professional Credentials

� Solar Electric (PV) Installer Certification

� Solar Thermal Installer Certification

� Small Wind Installer Certification –under development

� Entry Level PV Certificate of Knowledge

As a credentialing body, NABCEP sends a clear message to consumers,

financers, and public officials that the Solar Industry stresses safe and

quality services, consumer protection and ethical business practices

While NABCEP certifies practitioners, it is the ISPQ process that accredits training programs and certifies

instructors

Practitioner Training

While NABCEP certifies practitioners, ISP is applying an international

framework of standards and metrics to ensure legitimacy of what’s being

taught and by whom

Quality Assessment for

Training Programs & Instructors

The Institute for Sustainable Power (ISP) Quality International Standard offers a process of application and audit for accreditation of renewable

energy training programs and certification of instructors

ISPQ International

� North America - Interstate Renewable Energy Council in US

� Europe – ISPQ Europe in UK

� Asia-Pacific - Global Sustainable Energy Solutions in Australia

� China – ISPQ office under development

ISPQ Assessment

� Ensures legitimacy of what’s being taught and by whom

� System of review and audit

� Provides a means to compare content, quality, and resources across a broad range of training

ISPQ Accreditation

Sends signals to students, employers, and government officials that training

standards have been met

Verifying content

The ISPQ process uses an

industry-approved Task Analysis to verify, compare and approve course

content

IREC is the North American Licensee for the ISPQ* International 01021 Standard for Renewable Energy

Training Accreditation and Instructor Certification Programs

*ISPQ – Institute for Sustainable Power Quality Standard

IREC is responsible for the full ISPQ accreditation and certification cycle in NA including processing applications, assigning registered auditors, awarding the credential, and maintaining all records of applicants, candidates and certificants.

Application

Audit

Award

5 ISPQ designations

1. Accreditation for Training Programs

2. Accreditation for Continuing Education Providers

3. Certification for Independent Master Trainers

4. Certification for Affiliated Master Trainers

5. Certification for Instructors

ISPQ designation offers

The ISPQ mark is a signal to students, employers, government officials and funding sources that standards for the curriculum, student services, and trainers have been met.

Resources from IREC

� Best Practices & Guidelines for Renewable Energy Training

� Occupational Profiles for the Solar Industry� Index of Job Trends and Labor Forecasts

Reportswww.irecusa.org

� On-Line Training Catalogwww.irecusa.org/trainingCatalog