By Timothee Neron-Bancel
Following Solar Success 2009 held at the ASES 2009 conference, we wish to remind providers and prospective installers that continuing education credits have been registered with NABCEP for current NABCEP Certified Installers to use during their re-certification.
For prospective installers applying to sit for the solar PV or solar thermal certification exam and wishing to fulfill their “board-recognized training” requirement, continuing education credits will be accepted but they are not the only type of board-recognized training available.
According to Section 3.2.3 of the Candidate Information Handbook, some type of training/education is required for achieving this certification. It is recommended that
applicants look for training courses with Institute of Sustainable Power (ISP) accreditation (i.e., Midwest Renewable Energy Association), or similar accreditation. NABCEP will accept training to meet entry requirement option (a, b, c, and d) when the training meets the following outcomes:
- A minimum of 40 hours cumulative (can include product training);
- Have a formal training format, with a teacher-learner structure. This implies a connection between a learner and a learning source. It can include classroom time led by an instructor and/or discussion leader. It can also include activities in which a learner is engaged in a planned learning event in which he/she is separated from faculty and other students but where the learner receives some sort of feedback and the learner’s progress is monitored. Examples include computer-assisted instruction, interactive video/CD/DVD and/or web site learning;
- Covers core competencies from the PV Installer Task Analysis, including the National Electrical Code® and OSHA safety standards relevant to PV installation
Types of training programs may include but are not limited to:
- Offered by any accredited university, college, or community college (i.e., Lane Community College, San Juan College);
- Dedicated independent training programs (e.g. Florida Solar Energy Center, Solar Energy International, Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association, etc.);
- Apprenticeship training programs (e.g. National Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee, Department of Labor approved apprenticeship programs);
- Those approved by State Contractor Licensing Boards; and
- Vocational/Technical training programs (e.g. Board of Cooperative Educational
Services/New York, British Columbia Institute of Technology.