SOLV Energy invests in a more diverse solar future through scholarship funds

Solar Energy International (SEI), the world’s leading renewable energy technical training and education provider, today announced it has secured scholarship funding for its new SEI Women in Solar Power program.

The SEI Women in Solar Power program was created to empower women (and anyone who identifies as such in a significant way) world-wide through solar energy training, networking, mentorships, and clean energy job connections. The program offers women more opportunities to learn, work and thrive in the renewable energy industry.

In addition to this foundational training, SEI will support women with educational and career counseling, along with ongoing technical support in a women’s community forum lead by one of the top bi-lingual instructors in the industry.

The educational portion of the program includes online and hands-on training. In order to participate in the hands-on Women’s Solar Electric Lab Week in October, 2022, 6 weeks of prerequisite training through SEI’s PVOL101 online course is required. The Women’s Solar Electric Lab Course will be taught by an all-female staff. Participants will complete five days of hands-on installation of a variety of solar systems.

According to SEIA, of the over 230,000 people employed in the solar industry nationwide, women only represented 30% of the workforce. As a nonprofit, SEI is dedicated to education and sharing the knowledge and tools the next generation of solar industry professionals need to succeed in the growing green energy field.

“The solar industry is suffering from an overall workforce shortage, but especially from a shortage of females and minorities,” said Elizabeth Sanderson, SEI Executive Director. “SEI is dedicated to creating a more diverse workforce in the solar industry. Partnering with excellent companies, such as SOLV Energy, that are already walking the talk in employing women and non-binary people will speed this vital initiative. Without the assistance and support of our partners we would not be able to provide the programs and financial aid necessary to achieve these goals and we are grateful for their dedication and belief in the importance of our work.”

“The SEI Women in Solar Power program provides participants with the foundational skills and confidence needed to pursue a career in the solar industry paired with ongoing counseling and support for long-term success,” said Jennifer Hershman, Director of Community Relations for SOLV Energy. “We are proud to build brighter futures in clean energy through the SOLV Energy Women in Solar scholarship.”

SEI is actively building a network of women in the solar industry to help build a workforce and address climate change. For more information about scholarships, click here. To enroll in the Women in Solar community, click here. 

About SEI
For more than 30 years, SEI has been dedicated to training the global solar energy workforce. Our purpose is to empower students, alumni, and partners to expand a diverse, inclusive, well-trained solar workforce and spread the knowledge of how to safely deploy industry-leading technology. Our aim is to mitigate climate change, promote sustainable economic growth, and support energy independence. For more information, please contact Elizabeth Sanderson, [email protected]

About SOLV Energy
SOLV Energy offers engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) and operations and maintenance (O&M) services for solar photovoltaic plants throughout North America. We believe that good energy has a ripple effect. That’s why we only take on projects that provide cleaner power, better jobs, greater education and a brighter future for our communities. Backed by a powerful legacy, we’ve branched out to focus solely on renewable energy initiatives. Recognized as an industry-leading solar contractor and O&M services provider, our team was ranked the #1 solar contractor in the United States by Solar Power World and Wiki-Solar in 2021. solvenergy.com

​​Media Contacts:
SEI: Laura Baumgartner, Asylum Public Relations
[email protected]

SOLV: Scarlett Chepke, SOLV Energy
[email protected]