Andy Black - OnGrid, Inc. · 7 Long Beach, 2007 37 How to Find Your Dream Job in Solar! © 2007...

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Andy Black

Find Your Dream Job in Solar!

Long Beach, 2007 2How to Find Your Dream Job in Solar!

© 2007 Andy Black. All rights reserved.

Introductions & Thanks

Solar Electric Power Association

Solar Energy Industries Association

You for coming!



Agenda

Overview of Job Opportunities in Solar

Strategies for Getting In

Common Job Types

Panel

Representatives of Several Job Types & MarketSpaces

Q&A at End

Handouts in the back

Career Center, Room 203B sponsored by



Audience Survey

Who’s Here? What’s your background?

Students?

Career changers?

Engineers?

Salespeople?

Marketers?

Finance?



Audience Survey

Goals?

Become an employee?

Start a manufacturing business?

Start a dealership/installation firm?

Start consulting?



Resources Handout

List of Resources, available online at:www.ongrid.net/dreamjobresources.html

Periodicals & OnLine resources

Books

Courses

Events

Organizations

Job Boards

Solar Today article

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Strategies for Getting In

Networking

Skill Building

Get both by:

Education

Volunteering



Networking Opportunities

Membership

Volunteering

Events

Classes

Many overlap with Skill Building



Join Organizations

American Solar Energy Society (ASES) &

your local chapter ($25-$50/yr)

SEIA national & and your state/regional

chapter ($300+/yr)

All are good ways to get connected and

involved

See Resources List for Contact Info



Get Involved

Attending Board and other meetings

local networking

Participate on committees

Go to solar parties & meetings



Volunteer Opportunities

ASES Chapter events

Tabling to answer questions from public

Solar Tours & other events

Conferences need helpers

Great ways to meet people & get known

Great way to learn more about theindustry



Volunteering

Organize SolarHome Tours

Meet folks

Owners & Installers

Designers &Architects

Media

3



Organize Events



Attend Conferences

Summer Solar Fairs - Home Power magazinewebsite maintains lists of events

Solar Forums in California

Solar Power 2008 (SEPA), San Diego,October 2008

Solar 2008 (ASES), San Diego, May 2008

Various websites list more events

RenewableEnergyAccess.com,SolarBuzz.com

See Resources for Contact Info



It Isn’t All Work!



Classes

Solar Energy Int’l (SEI)



Short Courses at

Conferences

NEC - National Electric Code

Manufacturer Training Courses

Trajectory & State of the PV Industry

(Paul Maycock & Travis Bradford, the

Prometheus Institute)



Other Course

OpportunitiesSLI - Solar Living Institute - Hands On

Pacific Energy Center (at PG&E) in CA

MREA - Midwest Renewable EnergyAssociation - Hands On

SOL - Solar On-Line

NCSC - North Carolina Solar Center

FSEC - Florida Solar Energy Center


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Learn the Tools

Analysis & Database Tools

Marketing & Sales Tools



Analysis & Database ToolsClean Power Estimator - general customer educ.www.consumerenergycenter.org/renewable/estimator

RETscreen - a standard modelwww.retscreen.net

PV Watts - the standard performance modelrredc.nrel.gov/solar/codes_algs/PVWATTS

PV Design Pro - hard core analysiswww.mauisolarsoftware.com

DSIRE - database of state & fed incentiveswww.dsireusa.org

OnGrid Solar Financial Analysis & Sales Toolwww.ongrid.net/payback



Shading Analysis

Solmetric SunEye & Solar Pathfinder

Very accurate for true shading issues

Both are Amazing and Fun to Use



Marketing & Sales Tools

QuickQuotes by Clean Power Research

Analysis, Quoting & Proposal Tool

OnGrid Solar Financial Analysis & Sales ToolAnalysis, Quoting & Proposal Tool



Built a system

Won’t be perfect

Good learning

Hands On Experience



Upgrade It!

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Other Hands-On

Experience Opportunities

Hands-on classes

GRID Alternatives

Non-profit solar for low income housing

Habitat for Humanity

Has solar on many of its projects

Build your own, even a solar fountain!




Get Certified

NABCEP - www.nabcep.org

North American Board of Certified

Energy Practitioners

Installer certifications

Introductory & Advanced levels

Knowledge & Experience based



Read Everything!

Lots of books:

Davidson, Perlin, Komp, Strong

Solar Today - subscription

Home Power

PV News

Photon International

Renewable Energy World

Renewable Energy Focus (ISES)



Read everything

NEC (National Electric Code) Article 690

Manufacturers Literature

CEC (California Energy Commission),

Sandia & NREL (National Renewable

Energy Laboratory) publications

Numerous manuals on how to do solar right



Read Everything Online

RenewableEnergyAccess.com

SolarBuzz.com

NREL Hotline newsletter




Visit Everyone!

Manufacturers while on vacation!

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Informational Interviews

Get the real scoop



Create Opportunities

NorCal Solar Energy Resource

Guide Ad Sales

Propose events or products of value

and execute on them

Research and write articles

Collaborate between organizations



Advanced Networking

Opportunities

Run for the Board of Directors

All groups need committed, energetic

leaders

Present at conferences

Teach classes

Find a niche you like & develop it



Anyone Can Do This!

Have fun with this

Takes Time and Effort

Persistence & Tenacity pay off

Get yourself visible enough and

they’ll call you

Solar Folks are very friendly



Other Factors

Key to Success:

Showing Long-term interest

Figuring out whether you “Know”

you want it

Trial & error, Exploration

Confidence will grow over time



Jobs, Pay &

Opportunity

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Jobs Available

Opportunity in the Solar Industry

Pay scales

Types of jobs

Entrepreneurship



Solar:

A Growing Industry

Industry Growth is 35-45%

Historical averages over 5 years

At all levels: mfgr, installation, marketing

PV costs usually fall 7% per year

More Incentives worldwide

Electric Rates generally rise over time

Economics generally getting better all thetime



Incentives:

More All The Time

CA, NJ, CO, HI are booming

AZ, NV, NY, PA, MD, DC, & CT will

soon follow

Many European & some Asian

countries are adding incentives



Optimism & Balance

Growth opportunity is huge &

sustainable

Pay in the solar industry generally lower

Presenting a balanced view

Want you to understand what’s involved

I’m excited, you should be too



Pay Scales

Pay in the solar industry is low

Lots of competition

Low margins & profits

Rewarding work

1/3 to 2/3 the pay of comparable jobs

Most people don’t do it for the money



Career choices in Solar

Design/Engineering

Installation

Management

Sales

Utility

Marketing

Education

Lobbyist

Support functions

Regulatory

Entrepreneur

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Design/Engineering

Consulting – on your own

Field and in house design andengineering

Manufacturing (PV, Inverters, Mounting)

Problem solving & troubleshooting

Requires Electrical & Mechanical skills

Engineering Degree



Design/Engineering

Pay estimate $40K-$70K depending

on location

Not many needed

Mostly Mechanical Engineering

Expensive for small companies

Most companies don’t have or need



Installation

Field and factory installers

Lots needed – biggest work group

Skilled and experienced preferred

Hands-on school (SEI & SLI) graduatesare best

Pay $12/hr to start, $20-35/hr withexperience or as foreman



Sales

Solar Experience or Tech understanding

Sales talent and cursory understanding

Compensation: $35K-$120K

Could be more if really good and

knowledgeable



Sales Jobs

Employee vs. Contractor

Labor Laws

Freedom, Independence vs. Control

Ownership & Portability of Assets

Expenses



Marketing

Understanding Marketing

Is Marketing a Central Function?

Solar’s weakest link

Many companies have small or no budget

Limited jobs

Larger or well financed

Growing companies

More as industry matures

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Management

Supervising any of these

Requires skill and experience



Education

Education

Users (sales)

Installers

Financial (sales)

Government - Lobbying



Support functions

Support Roles:

Finance

IT (Information Technology)

Logistics

Administrative assistants

A “foot in the door”



Biggest Areas of Need

Marketing

Sometimes not valued

Little budget

Finance & Financial Analysis

Developing new models:

Sun Edison & MMA Renewable Ventures

Developing & Educating on Finance

Structures



Job Boards

RenewableEnergyAccess.com/rea/jobs/home

www.greenjobs.com

www.homepower.com/resources/jobs.cfm

www.SBLNetwork.com/SBL/jobboard

www.sustainablebusiness.com/jobs



Other Job Ideas

Contact the membership & installer

lists of ASES & SEIA & their chapters,

NABCEP

CEC installer list:

www.consumerenergycenter.org/

See Resource List for contact info & acronyms

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Cold Calling for Jobs

Be Prepared

For resistance

To prove you are serious

To demonstrate to them over time youwant to be in solar

Show up at various events to meet thebosses



Jobs Summary

Lots of job types

Pick what suits you & you’ll enjoy

Find related skills or interests to getin the door

Then enjoy!

or

… Start your own business!

jump



Entrepreneurship

Lots of new startups

~900+ over last 4 years

Lots of dropouts too

~400 seem inactive

This is better than normal for small

businesses



Difficult Business

Working in solar is challenging

Lots of competition

Margins are slim

Lots of hidden costs



Plan For Hidden Costs

Sales Costs - commissions, salesexpenses (mileage, phone, etc, & lotsof site visits per sale) + marketingcosts

Insurance

Workers Comp in high categories

Post-order module price increases



Avoid Pitfalls

Warranty service costs

Harder than it looks to do a water

tight, high quality installation

Takes more time & labor

Good, trained, and/or experienced

employees hard to find

11



Be Cautious

Don’t do it if you really want to

make a lot of money

Think of the consequences to starting

& quitting

Customer warrantees

Industry image to customers



Rewarding Work

Different than other “contractor”businesses, but not completelydifferent

Don’t be scared off if you really wantto do it

Great bunch of employees, peers,competitors, employees & customersto work with

jump



Obviously Think Hard

Big Decision

Investigate before you leap

Be confident you (and everyone elsearound you) will be happy here. It’snot for everyone

But it’s great for those for whom iffits



Panel

Cecilia Aguillon - KyoceraManufacturer; Bus. Development & Gov’t Relations

Neil Collins - AkeenaInstaller/Integrator; Operations

Jyl Safier - ConergyDistributor; Marketing

Joelene Monestier - SPG SolarInstaller/Integrator; Gov’t Relations



Jobs in the PV Industry

Cecilia Aguillon

Dir. GovernmentAffairs

Kyocera Solar, Inc.

September 25, 2007

Dream Job In

Solar

Neil Collins

Solar Power 2007

Long Beach, CA

12



My Approach

Plan To Succeed

Execute On Commitment

Positioning for Your Dream Job



Planning To Succeed

Preparation

Network

Research Options

Trigger Tracker (www.sgip-ca.com)

Google the Company

Identify Opportunities



Execution on

Commitment

Series of interviews

Don’t be afraid tofly

Set your terms

Follow up



Positioning for a Dream

Job

Setting your ground rules

Acknowledgingexpectations

Understanding theimplications of growth

Sustaining your solarspirit



Jyl Safier, Marketing

Joelene Monestier

Manager, Commercial Project Development

13



Q&A For The Panel

Cecilia Aguillon - KyoceraManufacturer; Bus. Development & Gov’t Relations

Neil Collins - AkeenaInstaller/Integrator; Operations

Jyl Safier - ConergyDistributor; Marketing

Joelene Monestier - SPG SolarInstaller/Integrator; Gov’t Relations

Andy Black - OnGrid SolarFinancial Analysis & Sales Tools



Conclusion

Goal was to enable you to find pathways

to build a solar career by Learning &

Networking!

Final Thought:

“Get Action”- Teddy Roosevelt



Thanks!

Solar Electric Power Association

Solar Energy Industries Association

You for coming & showing interestGET ACTION!



Andy BlackSolar Financial Analysis

& Sales Software

(408) [email protected]

www.ongrid.net - Tools, Articles & Papers available

HOME

OnGrid SOLAR SALES TOOL

SERVICES

CLASSES

DREAM JOB RESOURCES

PAPERS & PUBLICATIONS

CONTACT

Resource List for

“Find Your Dream Job in Solar”

Live Links Available at: www.ongrid.net/dreamjobresources.html

Books:

Solar Living Sourcebook – Schaeffer et al

Photovoltaics: Design & Installation Manual – Solar Energy International

New Solar Electric Home – Davidson

Solar Living Sourcebook – Schaeffer et al

Solar Electric Independent Home–Fowler

Practical Photovoltaics – Komp

From Space to Earth – Perlin

The Solar Electric House – Strong

Got Sun? Go Solar – Moran

Your Solar Home Guidebook – Rahus Institute: www.rahus.org

NorCal Solar Energy Resource Guide: www.norcalsolar.org

Periodicals, Magazines, Journals, Online Sources:

Solar Today – www.solartoday.org

Home Power - www.homepower.com

Photon – www.photon-magazine.com

Renewable World – www.jxj.com/rew

REFocus- www.ises.org

– RE newsRenewableEnergyAccess.com

– solar news www.SolarBuzz.com

- PV news www.nrel.gov/ncpv/hotline.html

Sandia - publicationswww.sandia.gov/pv/

www.californiasolarcenter.org/solareclips/solareclips.html

Courses & Training Programs:

*Solar Energy International (SEI) – , (970) 963-8855, Multi-week, hands onwww.solarenergy.org

*Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) - , (321) 638-1000www.fsec.ucf.edu/ed

*Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA), , (715) 592 6595www.the-mrea.org

*Farmingdale State University of New York, , (631) 420 2000

Solar Living Institute -

http://info.lu.farmingdale.edu/depts/met/solar/fsec.html

, (707) 744 2017, Partial- & Full-week, hands onwww.solarliving.org

List of training programs (IREC):

Courses listings for all states by technology type (IREC):

DOE list of courses, jobs, etc.:

Sol “Solar-on-Line” -

http://www.irecusa.org/articles/static/1/1058458522_987094321.html

http://www.irecusa.org/courses.php

http://www1.eere.energy.gov/education/

www.solenergy.org

Pacific Energy Center – www.pge.com/pec

San Juan College, Farmington, NM (800) 241 6327

Appalachian State University Dept of Technology, Boone, NC, (828) 262-3110

North Carolina Solar Center -

www.sjc.cc.nm.us/academics/technology/RENG

www.tec.appstate.edu/at/app_tech.html

, (919) 515.5666

Sonoma State University –

www.ncsc.ncsu.edu

Diablo Valley College, San Ramon, CA,

www.sonoma.edu/ensp

, (925) 685-1230x522, Alt. Energy

Mercy Hot Springs, Firebaugh, CA,

www.dvc.edu

, (209) 826 3388

De Anza College Energy Management Technology,

www.merceyhotsprings.com

, Cupertino, CA

OnGrid Solar presentations on Financial Analysis & Payback:

environmentalstudies.deanza.edu/es/

www.ongrid.net/classes.html

Solar Decathlon (University teams) or http://www.eere.energy.gov/solar_decathlon/ http://www.solardecathlon.org/

*Indicates this school is accredited by the Institute for Sustainable Power, , (303) 683 4748 www.ispq.org/ispinstitutions.html

Organizations:

NorCal Solar Association (NCSEA) - , (510) 869 2759

California Solar Center,

www.norcalsolar.org

Solar Forum & PV Alliance -

California Solar Energy Industries Association (CalSEIA) -

www.californiasolarcenter.org

Solar Living Institute,

www.calseia.org

, (707) 744 2017

American Solar Energy Society (ASES) -

www.solarliving.org

NABCEP-North American Board Certified Energy Practitioners

www.ases.org

(730) 344 0341

Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) -

www.nabcep.org

Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) -

www.solarelectricpower.org

International Solar Energy Society (ISES) -

www.seia.org

GreenPeace -

www.ises.org

www.cleanenergynow.org

Conferences & Events:

9/14/06 3:23 AMDream Job Resources

Page 1 of 2http://www.ongrid.net/dreamjobresources.html

Current Event Listings: RenewableEnergyAccess.com/rea/events/home

Solar Forums, California Solar Center & PV Alliance - www.californiasolarcenter.org

ASES “Solar 2006”, July 7-13, 2006, Denver, CO, ,

“SolFest”, late August 2006, Hopland, CA

www.ases.org www.ases.org/solar2006/

, (707) 744 2017

ASES National Solar Home Tour, nationwide, Early Oct,

www.solfest.org

, www.ases.org

“Solar Power 2006”, Oct 15-20, 2006, San Jose, CA,

www.norcalsolar.org

,

NREL/NCPV list of Solar/PV meetings:

www.SolarPowerConference.com solarelectricpower.org

Fairs & Events around the US:

www.nrel.gov/ncpv/ncpvmeetings.html

www.homepower.com/events/fairs.cfm

Job Boards & Ideas:

www.greenjobs.com

www.homepower.com/resources/jobs.cfm

RenewableEnergyAccess.com/rea/jobs/home

www.SBLNetwork.com/SBL/jobboard

www.sustainablebusiness.com/jobs

www.ecojobs.com

www.eco.org

EnvironmentalCareer.com http://www.environmentalcareer.com/

DOE list of jobs, courses, etc.: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/education/

ADPSR – & www.adpsr.org occasionally has job announcementswww.adpsr-norcal.org

Contact the membership & installer lists of , , , , , , CalSEIA SEIA NABCEP SEPA NorCal Solar FindSolar.com ASES

& CEC installer list: www.consumerenergycenter.org/cgi-bin/search.cgi

Career Counseling:

Marie Kerpan: http://www.geocities.com/greencareers/

Volunteer Experience: Grid Alternatives - & Habitat for Humanity Solar Projects

Tools: Solar PathFinder,

www.gridalternatives.org

, (317) 501 2529www.solarpathfinder.com

OnGrid PV Sizer & Solar Financial Analysis Calculator, , (408) 428 0808, [email protected]

Articles on Financial Payback for Solar:

www.ongrid.net/payback

www.ongrid.net/papers

Article on "Find Your Dream Job in Solar" (823KB PDF), published in " ", Sept/Oct 2005 issueSolar Today

www.ongrid.net/papers/SolarTodayDreamJob2005.pdf

Solar Financial Analysis & Purchasing Consultationwww.ongrid.net . OnGrid Solar . 4175 Renaissance Dr #4, San Jose, CA 95134 . (408) 428-0808 . [email protected]

©Copyright 2006 OnGrid Solar Energy Systems

9/14/06 3:23 AMDream Job Resources

Page 2 of 2http://www.ongrid.net/dreamjobresources.html

How to build the skills, experience and www.solartoday.org SOLAR TODAY 20

Finding Your

DreamJobIn Solar

By Andy Black

BP

SOLA

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connections that will give you an edge.

September/October 2005 21

More and more people are looking for a job in the solarbusiness these days. With booming consumer interest, strongpublic support in terms of legislation and incentives, and grow-ing market demand worldwide, enormous opportunity exists forthose who want to jump into solar. Jobs are becoming availablefor installers, sales people, mechanical engineers, manufactur-ing personnel, R&D scientists and engineers, marketing andfinance, to name just a few positions.

Though it is impossible to accurately predict the number ofsolar jobs that will be created in coming years, what is clear is thatthe industry is growing rapidly. According to Photon Internation-al magazine, sales growth typically has been 30 to 40 percent peryear worldwide during the past five years. Last year was a break-out year at over 50 percent. This growth in sales is expected tocontinue at over 30 percent for the next five years as well, mak-ing solar the fastest-growing industry of significant size in theworld. The solar industry exceeded the 1-gigawatt mark in annu-al production in 2004, and represents a $6 billion to $7 billionindustry worldwide.

Do you have the skills, desire and attitude to get involved? Areyou willing to obtain the required expertise? This article will encour-age you to develop a useful skill and a network of colleagues.

Is a Solar Career for You?First, let’s determine if a solar career is a good fit for you. Do

you want a rewarding job where you feel great about your work,

and can be proud of what you do? Do you want people to respond“Cool!” when you tell them what you do? If so, solar may be agreat field for you.

Now for the harder questions: Are you willing to take a cut inpay? Most people and positions I know of pay about half what youmight earn in the rest of the “for-profit industrial world.” Forexample, while a salesperson working outside the industry mightearn $100,000 to $400,000 per year, a solar salesperson mightmake an annual salary of $40,000, up to $100,000 if they’re espe-cially good. An installer (rarely unionized in the solar field) gen-erally earns $8 to $16 per hour — again, about half what a simi-lar job might pay in another field. Are you willing to put jobsatisfaction ahead of pay?

What about work hours? Most people I know in this businesswork a lot more than 40 hours a week. They do so because theylove it. The successful people in the solar field generally are com-mitted to their jobs and expend a considerable amount of extraeffort. This extra effort benefits not only your employer and theindustry as a whole, but also yourself, through the extra experi-ence, skills and knowledge acquired.

If you’re serious about getting into solar, then the long hoursare an opportunity for you to spend more time doing somethingyou love. I encourage you to think hard about whether the extracommitment required in solar works for your life.

Informational interviews are a great way to gather more infor-mation about a particular job or the industry in general. They canhelp you determine if this line of work is right for you. To do asuccessful informational interview, seek out someone in theindustry at or above the level of the position you’re targeting.Explain that you’d like 30 minutes for an informational inter-view. Be concise with your questions, respect their time anddon’t look to this person to hire you.

Have fun with this evaluation process; enjoy it, and makesure you enjoy the industry and job you’re getting serious about.If you take no pleasure in it, you probably won’t be good at it, and eventually you may become frustrated and move on. Saveyourself and everyone around you that agony — give up the jobso that someone else can enjoy it and succeed. It will free you tofind what you really want to do.

Getting StartedTake a Hands-on Class: Solar Energy International: www.solarenergy.orgSolar Living Institute: www.solarliving.orgMidwest Renewable Energy Association: www.the-mrea.orgNorth Carolina Solar Center: www.ncsc.ncsu.edu

Read Solar News and Info:SOLAR TODAY magazine: www.solartoday.orgHome Power magazine: www.homepower.comRenewable Energy Access: RenewableEnergyAccess.comSolarBuzz: SolarBuzz.com

Get Involved:American Solar Energy Society and its nationwide chapters:www.ases.orgHome Power events listing:www.homepower.com/events/fairs.cfmGrid Alternatives: www.gridalternatives.org

For a more complete list, visit www.ongrid.net/dreamjobresources.html.

As the solar industry grows, skilled people are needed for jobs rang-ing from R&D and engineering to installation and marketing.

BP

SOLA

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www.solartoday.org SOLAR TODAY 22

Another source of substantial education can be found in industry-related books, periodicals and online sources. Two of themost important periodicals are SOLAR TODAY and Home Power. Bothprovide good links to educational and volunteer opportunities.

Volunteering is an excellent way to improve your skills andexpand your industry network. Among many such opportunities,San Francisco-based GRID Alternatives is a nonprofit organizationdedicated to bringing renewable energy to communities in need.Recent projects include installing solar electric systems at Habi-tat for Humanity homes in California.

Another way of getting to know industry players is by volun-teering at the ASES annual conference each summer. Volunteersget to attend for free, while getting to know the ASES staff, mem-bers and other industry leaders.

Similarly, ASES chapters (located in 35 states plus the Districtof Columbia) gather local solar professionals and advocates. Theysponsor various events such as the annual ASES National SolarTour, which takes place in locations nationwide each fall. Getting

to know your chapter leaders and tour organizers is a good wayto become involved in the local solar community. In fact, becom-ing involved with my local ASES chapter is how I got my first solarjob offer (unsolicited!). Not only have these volunteer opportu-nities helped me to meet potential employers, but I’ve also learneda great deal in attempting to answer questions from the general

Finding a “Green” Job OnlineIdealist.org: www.idealist.orgEnvironmental Career Opportunities: www.ecojobs.comEnvironmental Careers Organization: www.eco.orgGreen Dream Jobs: www.sustainablebusiness.com/jobsGreen Jobs: www.greenjobs.comFederal Government Jobs: www.usajobs.opm.govRenewable Energy Access Jobs: www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/jobs/home

Finding Your Dream Job in Solar

Solar industry growth is expected to continue at over 30 percent for the next five years

Learning the BusinessDon’t try to rush the process. And don’t be surprised if it

takes a while. The industry has been challenged in dealing withlots of people with good intentions who seek to get into solar, butwho often don’t last because they hadn’t considered the downsides. Employers have learned to evaluate acandidate’s long-term interest before investing asignificant amount of training time to teach thespecialized skills and knowledge for this line ofwork. You can demonstrate consistent long-terminterest by getting involved in the industry. Consid-er starting your involvement well before you quityour other line of work.

Two ways to get involved are through trainingand education and volunteer participation.

Training and education are straightforwardways to develop skills and explore a career withlow risk. They are also a great way to start buildingyour network of professional colleagues, beginningwith the class leader and the other students. Theseconnections can be lifelong relationships. Both thetraining itself and your connections to the others inthe class will lead to other opportunities if you keepyour eyes and ears open.

One of the best places I know for getting train-ing is Solar Energy International (see sidebar, “Get-ting Started”). SEI offers a number of intense, in-depth, sometimes multiweek hands-on andclassroom courses at several U.S. locations. Most oftheir instructors are industry leaders who offer a ter-rific, practical education.

Those seeking introductory-level courses canchoose from quite a few short courses offered atvarious locations nationwide and at most renew-able energy festivals and events. Some of the bigger venuesinclude the American Solar Energy Society (ASES) annual con-ference, Solar Living Institute, Midwest Renewable EnergyAssociation and its annual fair, and the North Carolina SolarCenter. There are many more; see the sidebar, “Getting Start-ed” for a sampling.

Training and volunteer work are good ways to develop skills and explore a career inthe solar field with low risk.

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September/October 2005 23

public during outreach and similar events.Sometimes a volunteer role can have especially good results.

One year, our chapter decided to sell advertising in our guidebookfor our tour as part of the ASES National Solar Tour. I took respon-sibility for selling most of the advertisements. As a result, I hada great excuse to speak with key personnel at all of the local andsome of the national solar companies. In the process, we got toknow each other a little bit.

Another opportunity came along when our chapter decided topublish a solar resource guide. I volunteered to write the articleon solar finance and payback, which has led to many follow-onopportunities. In fact, any chance you get to write an article forpublication is an opportunity for you to put your name out there.The bottom line of getting hired: Hiring managers need to knowyou exist. Sharing any knowledge you can with others can helpthem, and they may remember you for it.

Making the LeapThis process of becoming known for your expertise involves

skills building and networking — two efforts that can be achievedthrough active participation in the industry. The more you canbuild your skills and network, the more experience you’ll acquire,both to offer a potential employer and to judge your potential forthis line of work.

In the daylong class I teach on finding your dream job in solar,I encourage participants to develop a skill that’s valuable to the

industry. It could be in marketing, sales, installation,legal, finance, or some other area of need. The solarindustry is a business like any other, with the usualbusiness needs for personnel. Chances are you canuse the skills you already have, and with some addi-tional training apply them in the solar industry.

Those just starting their careers might also con-sider electrician’s vocational training for installationbasics and wiring, or attending electronics techni-cal school to gain a broader sense for servicing andrepairing system electronics. For a career in areassuch as marketing, finance or sales, college-leveltraining would be helpful. College is also appropri-ate for work as an engineer.

I run into many engineers interested in switch-ing to solar work. You may have noticed in theintroduction that I mentioned an industry needfor mechanical engineers. Most solar installationsrequire relatively little engineering (most has beendone at the factory or in the National Electric Code).The engineering that remains usually is specifical-ly related to the mechanical attachment of the solarpanels to the building or ground. More jobs formechanical and electrical engineers are availablein R&D of new products such as solar modules,inverters and mounting hardware.

Along with building your skills and getting train-ing, I would encourage you to earn any certifications that mightapply to your field of interest. In particular, if you’re interested insolar electric installation, consider earning Photovoltaic InstallerCertification from the North American Board of Certified EnergyPractitioners (details at www.nabcep.org). Applicants must possess acertain level of experience or combination of experience and train-ing, but some of this experience may be earned through volunteerprojects. For those already having experience in the PV installation,certification may help you move to a job you like better.

Once you have acquired some experience and skills, it’s timeto put together a professional resume and have it critiqued bysomeone with business experience. If possible, choose someonein the area of the solar business in which you’d like to work.

Look for opportunities in the solar industry through online jobsites, solar training organizations and publications, and profession-al organizations like your local ASES chapter (see sidebar, “Findinga ‘Green’ Job Online”). Let those in your network know whatopportunity you’re seeking. Above all, be patient and persistent.It just might lead you to your dream job. ●

Andy Black is the owner of OnGrid Solar, specializing in solarfinancial analysis and purchasers’ consultations. He serves on theboards of the American Solar Energy Society (ASES) and NorCal Solar,an ASES chapter. Black also teaches “How to Find Your Dream Job InSolar” for the Solar Living Institute. Contact him at 408.428.0808 oraccess www.ongrid.net.

Like any other business, the solar industry needs personnel in marketing, finance, andso on. You may be able to apply skills you already have to work in solar.

making solar the fastest-growing industry of significant size in the world.

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! 2007 OnGrid Solar

The OnGrid Solar Financial Analysis & Sales Tool

A Time-Saving, Comprehensive

Tool for Solar Sales

Andy Black, CEO Solar Financial Consultant

(408) 428-0808

[email protected]

www.ongrid.net

Helps Create & Close More Sales Calculates TOU Value with Shading

Proves Payback for the Customer Prepares Rebate & Utility Docs Easily

The OnGrid Solar Sales Tool Helps Salespeople:

(See www.ongrid.net for comprehensive lists of all details and options)

Identify and Screen Hot Leads,

guide them successfully thru

the entire sales process

Perform Multiple Solar Financial

Analyses, option to generate a

Variety Of Proposals

Fill out Closing Sales Paperwork

and Documents (including CSI)

with the touch of a button

Size PV systems based on

customer needs, incentive

programs and site data

Upload shading device data for

accurate Time-of-Use value analysis

Develop Accurate Price Quotes,

including all material,

regulatory and job-site factors

Demonstrate the financial benefits of a solar electric system to your customer with customized calculations.

Tailor and brand your printouts. Use them for direct presentations as your sales materials.

! PV System Size & Production

! Current & Future Electric Bills

! Cost, Rebate & Tax breakdowns

! Financing & Cash Flow

! Resale Calculations & Graphics

! Rate of Return Calculations

The OnGrid Tool is offered on a subscription basis and is updated frequently with current Rate Schedules, Incentive, Tax and Product information, and periodically with new tool features and benefits. Download the

free demo. Then, contact Andy Black at [email protected] or (408) 428-0808 to start closing more sales.

FREE Demo / Examples: www.ongrid.net/payback

Solar Pathfinder® SunEye®

Net Annual

Savings

The OnGrid Solar Financial Analysis & Sales Tool

Simplify Solar Sales: Qualify and Close in

Less Than a Day!

Andy Black, CEO Solar Financial Consultant

(408) 428-0808

[email protected]

www.ongrid.net

Show Your Customers

! Their internal rate of return (solar vs. stock market or interest-based investment)

! Their cash flow for financed systems (positive and increasing over time)

! System’s total lifecycle payback and savings (show how much they save over time)

! Their increased resale value (often is more than system cost & increases over time)

Simplify Your Sales

! Identify and screen hot leads (guides salespeople through the entire sales process)

! Size PV systems accurately (time of use, shading, tilt, orientation, incentives and more)

! Price systems considering all factors (e.g., tile roof, custom mounting, etc.)

! Create proposals, price quotes quickly, onsite (one button form generation, documentation, includes CSI)

Use customer data to paint them a picture. Example Output*:

*See website for detailed description and comprehensive list of customizable outputs and displays.

Example Sales Call

FREE Demo / Examples: www.ongrid.net/payback! 2007 OnGrid Solar

9:00 a.m.

Receive

Incoming Sales Call

9:30 a.m.

Qualify,

Gather Data, Email

Estimate

11:00 a.m.

Site Visit

12:00 p.m.

Update

Estimate Print All Docs

(on site)

12:30 p.m.

Present Bid,

Contract & Docs

1:00 p.m.

Close

the Sale

1:30 p.m.

Turn in

Closed Sale

Cash Flow: Annual Costs: Solar with Loan vs. No Solar

Loan cost, Maintenance, Inverter Replacement, & new small electric bill

Lifecycle Payback: Annual Savings Before & After Payback

Utility Bill w/o Solar at 5% rate

escalation

Lifetime savings are typically 2-3.5 times system cost

Payb

ack

Resale: Resale Value Over Time

Resale Value increases due to increasing annual savings

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Cash Flow: Net Annual Savings When Financed

Net Annual Savings

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Andy Black - OnGrid, Inc. · 7 Long Beach, 2007 37 How to Find Your Dream Job in Solar! © 2007...

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Transcript of Andy Black - OnGrid, Inc. · 7 Long Beach, 2007 37 How to Find Your Dream Job in Solar! © 2007...