FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 26, 2016

Contact:

Lesley McCain

Executive Director

Illinois Solar Energy Association

lesley.mccain@illinoissolar.org 

847.924.7359

 

Illinois Solar Announces Solar Job Training Program

 

[Mt Vernon], ILLINOIS --- The Illinois Solar Energy Association (ISEA) is pleased to announce that recently received a USDA Rural Business Development Grant award.  The grant funds will be used to provide a six-week solar installation training to Southern Illinois electrical contractors. Upon completion participants in the training will be to be qualified to lead solar installations.

 

The grant which was submitted through USDA’s Rural Development office, located in Marion Illinois, provides funding in excess of $31,000 to provide classroom and hands-on training to both union and non-union electrical contractors in order to advance solar installations in the Southern Illinois region. Additional funding of $4,000 to support the in person and webinar portion of the training, has been received from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

 

In order to interconnect solar systems to the electric grid, Illinois law requires that electrical contractors be Distributed Generation (DG) certified.  With only a few DG certified installers in the southern part of the state, ISEA recognizes that the lack of solar installers was a barrier to solar development in the region. Program trainees will be qualified to take the NABCEP exam, which when passed, will qualify them to be certified by the State.

 

Trainees will have an opportunity to exercise their newly gained skills by participating in 1kW solar installations at local schools. Grant funds for the installation portion of the training will be supplied by the Illinois Solar for Schools Program via the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation, and through product donations from The Solar Foundation.

 

The Illinois Solar Energy Associationis pleased to offer this opportunity to advance solar development in Southern Illinois, as well as accelerate economic development and job creation in the region.

 

About the Illinois Solar Energy Association (ISEA)

Established in 1975 The Illinois Solar Energy Association (ISEA) is a non-profit organization that promotes the widespread application of renewable energy through education and advocacy. As the Illinois chapter of the American Solar Energy Society, ISEA is the local resource for educational classes, events, renewable energy related policy developments, local news and access to local renewable energy vendors. www.illinoissolar.org

 

 

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