NCCETC has launched a crowdfunding campaign to award 5 NC State students with scholarships to attend a weeklong, hands-on solar energy training during their spring break.

The need for a well-trained clean energy workforce in North Carolina is constantly growing. As a leader in renewable energy continuing education and hands-on learning experiences across North Carolina, the Center continuously looks for ways to provide training to people of all experience levels. Providing the opportunity for NC State students to take NCCETC’s FSPV: Fundamentals of Solar Photovoltaic Design and Installation course will allow them to learn the process of designing and installing solar systems, and will set these students up for success in their future careers.

FSPV is a 40-hour course taken over five days and is designed to focus on solar system types, components, applications, design, and best practices for designing, installing, maintaining, and troubleshooting a solar PV system. Students will receive a mix of classroom and hands-on instruction and will engage in the installation of a fully integrated grid-tied, residential PV system at NCCETC’s Solar Yard. Along with learning technical skills, students will receive networking opportunities with solar industry professionals.

Following their completion of the FSPV course, the students will be able to sit for the North American Board of Certified Energy Professionals (NABCEP) PV Associate Exam. NABCEP is an internationally recognized certification organization for professionals in the renewable energy field and offers certifications for a variety of job types. After passing the NABCEP Associate exam, individuals are qualified to design, sell, install, or maintain systems in a supervised capacity. “Earning this certification is a great first step towards a solar energy career. Having both the FSPV course and NABCEP’s PV Associate credential on their resumes really can help individuals stand out to employers,” said Brittany Santore, Senior Clean Energy Training Coordinator at the NC Clean Energy Technology Center.

NCCETC’s goal is to raise $5,000, which will allow the five students to attend the FSPV course at $1,000 per student, and will cover the exam fee for the NABCEP PV Associate exam.

After the funds are raised, NCCETC will seek applications from NC State students  wishing to receive a scholarship to attend the training course. The selection committee will use these applications to determine who will be awarded the scholarship. The scholarships will then be awarded prior to the FSPV course taking place over NC State University’s spring break from March 11-15, 2024. 

All funds that are raised will go towards providing scholarships for individuals to take courses at the Center. “We are proud to be one of the organizations selected for the current round of NC State Crowdfunding. And we’re excited to share this campaign with our friends, colleagues, and neighbors,” said Allison Carr, Clean Energy Training Program Manager at NCCETC. “Crowdfunding requires a collaborative effort and we hope that you will consider making a contribution or sharing this crowdfunding opportunity within your networks.” 

The window to donate closes on February 16, 2024. To contribute to this campaign or to learn more, click here or visit go.ncsu.edu/solarfund.