Solar Training: Online or In-person?

By Dan Giese, Solar Energy International Registration and Programs Assistant

Online or in-person? That is the solar training question.

I routinely speak to potential Solar Energy International workshop participants who ask this question. The answer is more objective than not, as both options have their particular advantages. I speak to this quite often when I'm helping people register over the phones here at SEI. Here's my summation:

Online

• Our online courses are time convenient, requiring approximately six weeks to complete an estimated 60-hour course.
• No travel or accommodation expenses.
• The same content is covered online as in-person, although you have more time to absorb lessons. For some, sitting in a classroom for roughly eight hours a day for five days straight is overwhelming.
• There are still expert instructors available for your questions through e-mail and the discussion forums.

In-person

• Our in-person workshops provide immediacy - the whole class is covered in one succinct week.
• Direct contact with instructors - you can raise your hand and get answers to your questions.
• Networking - some participants find value in meeting classmates and instructors face-to-face and making that connection.
• And some people, if they travel for a class, can look at an in-person workshop as part education, part vacation. We have some great locations to visit, especially if you can make it out to Paonia, Colorado, in the summer. We have one of the best hands-on learning experiences in our solar electric lab weeks.

That's online vs. in-person in a nutshell. Feel free to call us at (970) 963-8855 if you're looking for further guidance.