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Workforce  Development:  Training  Needs  and  Trends  

Jerry  Ventre  Interstate  Renewable  Energy  Council  

IREC  Annual  MeeEng  Los  Angeles,  California  October  11,  2010  

Training  Needs  

•  Industry  demand  for  trained  workers  

•  Locally  accessible,  high  quality  training    •  Properly  targeted  and  prepared  students  • Curriculum  designed  for  defined  jobs  and  career  pathways  

• Well-­‐equipped  instrucEonal  faciliEes  

•  Sufficient  opportunity  for  student  pracEce  

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PV  Training  PrioriEes  

Installers  

System  Designers  

Code  Officials  

Technical  Sales  

Building  Designers  

UElity  Personnel  

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Job  or  Task  Analysis  

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Define  and  PrioriEze  Subtasks  

Review  and  Validate  

Define  Major  Tasks  

Define  DuEes  

Define  Job  

Job  Title  

High  Performers  

Observers  

Researchers  Increasing  Detail  

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Training  Focus  

Add-­‐on  skills  

vs.  

Specialists  

Targets  and  Prerequisites  

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Learning  PotenEal  

MoEvaEon  

Prior  Knowledge  

Ability  

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NJATC  Model  for  Training  Electricians  

•  900  hours  in  the  classroom  plus  hands-­‐on  laboratories  

•  PV-­‐specific  training  (number  of  hours  vary)  

•  8,000  hours  on-­‐the-­‐job  training  and  mentoring  

•  ConEnual  professional  development  of  trainers  

Trend  Toward  Greater  Depth  and  Breadth  

One  or  Two  Courses  • HVCC,  Hands-­‐On  Solar  

CerEficate  Programs  • HVCC,  Diablo  Valley  College  

Degree  Programs  • HVCC,  Lane  CC  

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Conclusions:  Renewable  energy  training  needs  to  –  

•  Be  aligned  with  approved  task  analyses  •  Be  responsive  to  market  demand  •  Be  locally  accessible  in  high  demand  areas  •  Properly  target  students  •  Tie  content  and  instrucEonal  hours  to  prerequisites  •  Emphasize  add-­‐on  skills  and  individual  pracEce  •  Broaden  offerings  and  educaEonal  foundaEons  •  Include  meaningful  learning  assessment  •  Offer  professional  development  opportuniEes  for  trainers  

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Workers  

Consumers  

Industry  

Educators  

Students  

Community  

When  done  right  –  everybody  wins!  

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Thank  you