Solar photovoltaic installers assemble, implement and maintain solar panels, which convert rays from the sun into energy, on the rooftops of homes and other buildings.

Constance Odle joined the solar industry after she found herself looking for employment when the economy tanked about a decade ago. The former production manager who worked with graphic and industrial designers wanted to break into the green sector, so she sent an application to Sungevity, then a solar electricity startup. The Oakland, California, company hired her and agreed to provide on-the-job training.

The solar industry turned out to be a great fit. Odle says she loved the idea that instead of helping to create “pretty waste” in publications, she was helping to create sustainable energy. Now an associate project manager at Borrego Solar Systems Inc., Odle works with other project managers and oversees solar photovoltaic installers who implement commercial PV installations.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 22.3% employment growth for solar photovoltaic installers between 2022 and 2032. In that period, an estimated 6,600 jobs should open up.

Some solar photovoltaic installers can get jobs with a high school diploma and the willingness to learn the trade on the job, which can take anywhere from a month to a year. There are also certificate programs and technical college courses, which usually take a few months to complete. In the courses, students will learn everything from safety measures to the proper way to install panels.