TRAINING PROGRAM
Learn all about SEI’s training.
The SEI Student Support Portal is your one stop online resource to find the answers to the most common questions about our training program and the overall SEI Student experience. Here you will find resources, including certification information, our training program structure, tuition and scholarship information, and other commonly asked questions. If you have questions that are not found here in the SEI Student Support Portal or would like to speak with a Student Services Counselor, don’t hesitate to reach out to us via email or phone.
Where should I start?
At Solar Energy International (SEI) we offer many courses in solar (PV) technology, beginning with an introductory course, PVOL101 – Solar Electric Design and Installation (Grid Direct). Once this course is complete students can take any 200 level course. More Info…
What order do I take the Courses in?
For Solar Electric (PV), you’ll want to start out with PVOL101 Online OR PV101 in person. There are no prerequisites to take our 101 course, however the free online RE100 course is highly recommended. After your 101 is successfully completed you can attend any 200 level course, either online or an in person classroom based, or the PV201L Grid Direct Lab Week. To take our 300 level Battery courses (either PV301L, PVOL303 or PVOL304) you must first complete our 200 Level Battery course, the PVOL203 (or PV203) course.
How do I sign up?
To register for training visit our online training schedule, scroll down to the session you would like to begin with, click on it and then choose register now – follow the checkout instructions. If you prefer to register by phone you can always call us at 970-527-7657 OPTION 1. More Info…
Do you offer anything other than PV Solar Electric Training?
Yes, we also have other renewable energy training. More Info…
Do you offer training in other languages?
Yes, we also offer our PV curriculum in Spanish. Feel free to contact our Programa Hispano Counselors at [email protected] or call 970-527-7657 option 8.
Are there prerequisites?
Each courses online description will have a list of any prerequisites for that course under it. More Info…
I already have experience, can I skip a course?
There are rare situations where a student can skip their first course with SEI. We offer the option to skip, or opt out of, our PV101 course if you have taken similar training with another training organization, or you have extensive field experience. Your SEI Student Services Counselor can provide access to an ‘Opt Out Quiz’ that you can access and complete online to demonstrate your prior knowledge, and to see if the higher level courses are a good fit for you. More Info…
What is the difference between Online and In-person?
SEI occasionally offers in-person theory courses. SEI’s online and in-person theory courses present the same curriculum, however the online courses take 6 weeks and are worth 40 to 60 contact training hours, while the in person sessions are one week long and worth 40 contact training hours.
How do I know the difference between Online, Lab and In-person Courses?
Any course code with an ‘OL’ in it stands for online. For example, you will start with either PVOL101, which is our first 101 Solar Electric Design and Installation course online, OR PV101 is the classroom based, in person counterpart that you can opt to take instead. The online courses are offered more often than the classroom based theory courses. Any course code ending in an ‘L” stands for a Hands on Lab Week such at PV201L Grid Direct Lab Week.
Are there instructors in Online Courses?
Yes, the online courses do have live instructors to answer questions posted on the discussion board or by email. The live instructors grade your work and give you feedback, making these courses highly interactive.
Do I have to be online at a certain time?
No, there is not a specific time that you need to sign in. You can work on the course at any time, day or night, weekend or weekday, as long as you complete the graded materials with a passing grade of 70% or more by the end date of the 6 week course. More Info…
Why are there specific start dates for online courses?
There are specific start and end dates for the online sessions because there are live instructors contracted to be there to assist you, teach and grade your work during the course dates.
How can an online course fill up?
We have a maximum student cap per session to make sure that the instructors are able to respond to your questions and grade your work in a timely fashion.
What happens after I register for an online course?
Once you register for an online course, you will receive an email confirmation and enrollment agreement by email, with details about the course. One to two days prior to the actual course start date, you will receive your log in information by email, including your username and password. More Info…