Solar job training increases opportunities for veterans

By Stephanie McCauley
October 23, 2015

Earlier this year, the first class of military trainees graduated from the US Energy Department’s solar job training program. In partnership with the SunShot training initiative, the pilot program will prepare 200 veterans at three military bases for careers as installers, sales representatives, and inspectors in the solar industry and allow them to interview with five of the top US solar companies. Veterans currently hold 10% of the almost 174,000 solar jobs in the US.

Climate Protection: Solar energy allows for less fossil fuel use and lower CO2 emissions Energy & Mobility: Increases renewable energy installations and knowledge Jobs & Assets: Increases knowledge and job options for veterans Connection: Gives veterans an opportunity to be part of a growing new sector

This post is part of a series on examples of ​multisolving​, or climate-smart policies that simultaneously work to mitigate climate change while providing co-benefits such as the ones described above. The multiple benefits analysis was done using the ​FLOWER framework​.