Why Create a Professional Training Certificate Program?
There is a growing number of available workers in this industry who have taken solar training from organizations with varying degrees of training duration, quality of instruction, and industry recognition. It is becoming harder and harder for an individual to distinguish themselves as many of these training offerings are similar in that they are very introductory and are taught by newcomers to the industry.

Additionally, it is becoming critically important for solar professionals and the employers who hire them to consider WHERE employee candidates received their training and not just WHAT certifications they hold. These two indicators of professional achievement of training certificates and certification should be presented separately by individuals on resumes, during interviews, talking with peers, and talking with potential clients. Both are equally important, but are not the same.

What is Certification?
Solar Energy International recognizes NABCEP as the leading certifying authority in the solar industry. At the same time, many employers recognize SEI as the leading training provider in the industry.

Passing a certification exam from a certifying authority like NABCEP is totally different than a training certificate program. Certification often includes a minimum required amount of training and/or real world experience to sit for a one time examination with required continuing education to maintain one’s certification.

Most individuals don’t have the required real world installation or sales experience to sit for an exam immediately after training. This makes the SEI Certificate Program that much more powerful in that it will prove to employers that you have at least received the most comprehensive and rigorous training in the industry as you work towards the experience you will need in order to sit for a certification exam.

What is a Training Certificate Program?
A quality training certificate program should be based on industry-reviewed curriculum that introduces students to current technologies and best practices. A quality training certificate program should also have a strong focus on safety and real world job-site conditions. Additionally, a quality training certificate program should be long enough in both training hours and number of courses to fully expose you to all the topics and conditions that exist in the industry.

During the SEI Solar Professionals Certificate Program you will exceed the baseline required number of training hours for industry certification exams. One thing to keep in mind when selecting a training program is that a quality training certificate program should offer you rigorous preparation for an industry and a career. It should NOT solely prepare you to pass a test. This explains why SEI’s certificate paths are at least 120 contact training hours in length.
Records of Completion and Required Assessment
At the end of each training course and upon receiving a passing grade of 70% you will receive a formal SEI Record of Completion for each individual course. Upon completion of the entire program of training with a passing grade in all courses, you will have earned your SEI Solar Professionals Certificate.

A passing grade of 70% will be required to be considered as a passing grade for any given course. You will be required to take an online final exam that covers each lesson area covered for any in-person portion of your training. This includes PV101, PV202, PV203, PV206, and RD101.

The final exam format will be identical to the quizzes found in our online courses, but will be delivered in a hybrid online format for in-person students. Online students will be given 6 weeks to complete the online version of the classroom courses and in-person students will be given 6 weeks after the last day of their in-person courses to complete their final exam online. Both student populations will be afforded the same level of access to supporting resources to complete the required assessments.

Lab trainings do not require assessments through quizzes, but do require that you successfully complete the installation and hands-on portion successfully with 100% attendance.

Transfer of Previous Training or Experience*
In recognition to all of our past students in our 20 years of existence, you will be able to transfer in any SEI training you have taken in the past towards any certificate path. This training will be honored as long as the training contact hours duration and learning outcomes are consistent with current course offerings for which you are transferring in to satisfy your chosen certificate path requirements.

You will be required to take the online quiz portions of the in-person classroom training in order to qualify for this transfer of past SEI training towards a SEI Solar Professionals Certificate path.

For many of our past students this will mean that they have already satisfied all the required training for a given certificate path or may be only one or two courses away from completion. If you are an SEI alumni and feel that you have completed the required training for any of the Solar Professional Certificate paths, please fill out the certificate program application to join. You can also call the Student Services Team for an SEI transcript review. If you have indeed taken all courses that you need for any particular certificate program path and are accepted into the program, we require a $150 transcript review fee.

SEI will allow the application of previous training credit from another training organization, but only for a PV101 equivalent training or comparable current solar industry work experience. This can only be used for a PV101 level of training and does not apply to any other training experience you may have acquired elsewhere. The SEI Student Services Team will be able to determine if you qualify for this transfer of training credit upon reviewing your application. You will be required to take the online quiz for PV101 in order to qualify for this transfer of past training towards an SEI Solar Professionals Certificate path.

Certificate Program Cancellation and Refund Policy
If you cancel out of the program you will be charged according to our cancellation policy. For cancellations made more than 30 days prior to the start of any course or workshop, 50% of the tuition will be refunded for that session. Cancellations made within 30 days prior to the start of the individual course or workshop result in forfeiture of your tuition for that session. Workshop transfers are allowed, but must be made 30 days prior to the start date of that session, and a $100 transfer fee will apply.

If you fail to complete your entire program of study within a year of the start date of your program you will be charged the full price difference for the course or courses you have completed or started. For all other courses, the cancellation policy will apply.

If you are unable to complete the workshops and courses in your Certificate Program, or need to transfer sessions, due to illness or natural disaster, please contact Breccia in the administration office at 970-527-7657 extension 107.