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Consider a Career in the Booming Solar Industry

Career Exploration

If the planet is going to heal, Americans need to phase out the old fossil fuel energies and become dedicated to renewable energies like solar. With more and more homeowners and businesses choosing solar, many new career choices are opening up.

The Solar Industry Needs Electricians

For those with former training and for licensed electricians, there are many types of work in the solar industry. Electricians are needed at every solar installation site to connect the panels and the energy they produce to a solar battery or water heater inside the house. The solar battery is important because it is able to capture the energy gathered from the roof panels and store it. That way at night or on a stormy day, the house can still run on solar power.

The Solar Industry Needs the Outdoor Type

If being outside and working with your hands sounds appealing, consider becoming a solar panel installer. The panels are the heart of the entire industry and with so many solar panels being installed everywhere, many people are needed to do it. It's an important job that requires a high level of skill. The bonus is that the installers generally work on roofs in the fresh air and sunshine. Don't worry, though, if you're not fond of heights. Solar farms are popping up along highways and in empty fields. They tend to supply communities rather than individuals and they tend to be installed on the ground. Another option is installing new solar technology called the Smart Flower. It's a stunning sculpture as well as an efficient collector of solar energy. Right now primarily businesses are installing them, but if they become more affordable, soon others will want them because of their beauty and efficiency.

The Solar Industry Needs Warehouse Clerks

Those who keep track of the inventory in a solar parts warehouse form an important link in the solar chain. It is critical that before a team goes out for an installation, they can be assured that everything they need is ready.
Once a customer decides to have a solar panel installation, making them wait might cause them to lose faith in the company, or even worse, cancel their installation. This could be a familiar job for anyone who has been in charge of inventory in a past position.

The Solar Industry Needs Someone to Market and Sell Panels

Let's face it: it doesn't matter if the warehouse is full, there is a team waiting to begin installation and an electrician waiting to hook things up if there are no customers. A good salesperson knows how to make people feel comfortable enough to decide on a major investment like solar. For the person who has that skill and is eager to learn everything about the solar industry, this could be the perfect career. The world is wide open and able to reach almost everyone if you know how to market well. Good marketing and sales teams can reach potential customers through many avenues including social media. An attractive marketing campaign has the potential to bring a steady stream of business to the company. Marketing professionals can also work through cities and towns to help promote solar, which benefits the entire community.

Can't Figure Out Where You Might Fit In?

No worries. The Solar Energy Industries Association or SEIA can help. Explore their website to learn more about solar and its many benefits and opportunities. Becoming a member of SEIA can help in many ways. You will learn about events, career opportunities and the big picture of this country's current solar transformation.

When you decide on a career in solar energy, you are making the correct choice for both yourself and the planet. Solar is clean and renewable energy and more Americans are going in that direction every day. Some solar jobs are very similar to the same jobs in other industries, however, unlike many of those other jobs, there is a current boom in the solar industry.

If you have comments or feedback about any article, please email your thoughts to info@acp-advisornet.org.

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