SOUTH HOLLAND, IL–South Suburban College’s Building Construction Technology Program is launching a new 16-week cohort for a cutting-edge Solar Photovoltaic Installers Certificate. The first session (BLD-299) will start during SSC’s spring second 8-week courses March 17th through May 14th on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Upon successful completion of the first 8-week session, students are eligible to sit for the NCCER Core Curriculum certification test. The final 8-week session will run during the 2020 Summer Semester.
Solar photovoltaic installers are key to the process of solar panel installation and maintenance. They use specialized skills to install residential and commercial solar projects. They are responsible for safely attaching the panels to the roofs of houses or other buildings, and ensuring that the systems work. Solar photovoltaic installers must be able to work with power tools and hand tools at great heights, and possess in-depth knowledge of electrical wiring as well as basic math skills.

Clean energy such as solar power is expected to be a key piece of the growing “green economy,” and jobs in solar power show great potential for new employment opportunities. This growth in the solar power industry is evidenced by the rapid increase in solar capacity over the past several years, leading to the increased demand for skilled workers. Jobs in this industry are located in many states and cover a wide variety of occupations. As solar technology evolves and new uses for solar power are discovered, occupations in the industry will continue to grow and develop.

Solar photovoltaic installers are often self-employed as general contractors or employed by solar panel manufacturers or installation companies. Installers trained as electricians or those that are licensed as general contractors can make significantly more. According to industry sources, basic solar installers average an annual salary of $42,680, and Union two-year apprenticeship completers are earning average yearly salaries over of $100,000. There are currently jobs available and employers searching for qualified workers in the Chicagoland area with a National Employment Outlook of a 63% increase 2018-2028.

For more information, please contact Eugene Damiani, program coordinator, at (708) 596-2000, ext. 2292 or email edamiani@ssc.edu. Para Información En Español Llame: (708) 210-5740. SSC is located at 15800 South State Street, South Holland, Illinois.