Work-Trade Programs

Solar Energy International is no longer accepting applications for the 2010 season.
(Please check back with us in November)

For the last 19 years, SEI's Work-Trade Program has enabled people from around the world to hone their solar training and renewable energy technology skills and improve their capabilities while helping to strengthen and grow SEI. In fact, the majority of our current staff were once work-traders!

If you're interested in SEI's Work-Trade Program, please review this page and download our Work-Trade Policies and Application forms. Check out the 'FAQ' section for common questions too. Thanks for your interest, and we look forward to hearing from you.

Work-Trade Policies (download PDF)

Work-Trade Application Form (download and fill out Word doc)

Application Deadlines:

We are no longer accepting applications for 2010 Work-Trade positions. Please sign up for SEI's e newsletter for the most up to date information on our work-trade program and all of our great offerings, alumni, and renewable energy news.

Program Overview:

SEI offers its work-traders a day-for-day trade agreement. One eight-hour day of work is traded for one day in a SEI  workshop. We require that all work-traders take eight weeks of workshops and, therefore, the work requirement is eight weeks as well - so our work-traders can expect to commit themselves to 16 weeks of work and workshops. We strive to have all of our work-traders complete their work portion before taking any workshops, so most work-traders work in the spring or early summer and then complete their workshops after that. If a work-trader chooses to take more than eight weeks of workshops, then he/she must pay full price for those extra workshops.

We trade 100% of total tuition in exchange for work, but all work-traders must put $300 down to reserve their space in the workshops. Here's how it works: If you are accepted into SEI’s Work-Trade program, you must let the WT Coordinator know which workshops you would like to take (remember, we ask that all WT’ers complete the work portion before taking any workshops). Once we confirm that you are registered in the workshops, we require you to put down a $300 deposit that will be returned after you finish your last workshop.  With that said, your payment may not be refunded if you cancel a workshop within 30 days of the start date.  All SEI cancellation policies apply to work-traders.

Eligibility Requirements:

To be eligible to become an SEI work-trader you must:

1. Want to take a MINIMUM of eight weeks of our Renewable Energy Education Program (REEP) workshops. For the purposes of the Work-Trade Program, two weekend workshops equals one week. One online course equals one week as well.

2. Possess the skills for which we are looking. To view our needs, please read over our 2010 work trade positions and only apply if your skills match our needs. Remember, this is not an internship; it is a work-trade agreement in which we match our needs to your existing skills. Even so - you'll probably end up learning a lot just by working with us!

3. WE ARE NO LONGER ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS, but when we do, you must download an application and email it to our Work Trade Coordinator.

4. Provide the contact information for (2) references - past employers, supervisors, professors, etc. (no family members please).

5. Be available for a phone or in-person interview.

Desired applicants are highly self-motivated, consistently willing to take initiative, require very little supervision, and are comfortable working hard in non-traditional, fun, social, and serious work environments.