Getting Serious

For those who wish to make solar panel installation a business, you should seriously consider getting certified by the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP).

According to its own literature, since its conception in 2003, NABCEP has certified hundreds of solar panel installers around the country. (if you’re reading closely, you’ll realize just how much opportunity to make money exists in an industry with only a handful of licensed practitioners in each state!

Indeed, at least in California, solar panel installers were recently predicted to be one of the five highest demand jobs over the coming decade.)

In order to ensure the quality of licensed installers, sitting for the NABCEP exam is not so simple as signing up for the exam and taking it. They require either experience, education, or a combination of the two. The goal of learning all of this information is for you to know how to install a photovoltaic system either at your own home or professionally for others. For those who wish to take their career to the next level they can attend a professional training class and receive the preferred NABCEP training they require.

Certified Installers Rising

Advances in photovoltaic technologies are helping to make residential and commercial solar systems more efficient, and tax breaks and financial support from both federal and state programs are making them more affordable. But let’s face it, neither lab-coat-wearing scientists nor suit-wearing politicians are going up on your roof to install your new solar panels.

Solar installers, on the other hand, are basking in business and lining up work from both residential and commercial clients over the next few years, and as a result are creating jobs and jockeying for top position.

The trend has also been felt nationwide. The North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners, which provides certifications for installers through education and qualification exams, said the number of member institutions that have begun offering such exams has jumped 39 percent since August. The number of students that have taken the exam has jumped 27 percent since the beginning of 2007.