Thank You! Thank you for joining today s webinar. For additional information on upcoming SEIA webinars please visit www.seia.org/webinars March 18, 2015 2014 Solar Energy Industries Association 1
Call to Action! Hire Skilled Veterans Today! Kate Higgins-Bloom, Office of the First Lady Michael Baskin, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Tom Kimbis, SEIA (Moderator)
Supporting Solar Industry Engagement and the Veterans Community DOE Support to Joining Forces March 18, 2015
Agenda Joining Forces (Office of the First Lady) Department of Energy SunShot Solar Instructor Training Network (SITN)) Veterans Employment Center (VA) Department of Labor Resources Understanding the Post 9-11 GI Bill Veterans Community and Existing Resources Questions 4
www.whitehouse.gov/joiningforces 5
Joining Forces In 2011, First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden launched Joining Forces, a nationwide initiative calling all Americans to rally around service members, veterans, and their families. Joining Forces works hand in hand with the public and private sector to ensure that service members, veterans, and their families have the tools they need to succeed and to educate the public on all these families have to offer. 6
Joining Forces The Joining Forces Initiative is organized around three main pillars with an underlying mandate to raise public awareness. Employment Employer Commitments Licensing, Credentialing, & Skilling Up Entrepreneurship Education K-12 and Higher Education Wellness Community Providers, Families & Caregivers, Service. Ending Veterans Homelessness in 2015 Reducing Stigma & Encouraging Help-seeking Behaviors Awareness Changing the Narrative about the Identities of Veterans and Military Families. Spreading the Word about Veterans as Civic Assets. 7
RESOURCE: Solar Instructor Training Network (SITN) Approach: Build local, consistent, high-quality workforce training for PV Installers and related occupations to support safe, durable, trusted PV installations (residential and commercial). Accredit institutions, credential workers, raise professional standards. Highlights: 422 institutions covering 49 states and 2 US Territories (9 Regional Training Providers) 1,097 Instructor Trainees have received training since the project began. 1. Creating a national network of high-quality, consistent PV installation training. 2. PV Lab equipment and Lab design 3. Solar Career Map Workforce Boards 4. PV course integration 5. Includes Community colleges, IBEW training centers, Tribal colleges and technical high schools SITN Partner Institutions, 2014 Clean Energy Training Directory: http://www.irecusa.org/training-directory/
Solar Instructor Training Network: Training PV Instructors, Building Inspectors, Installers SITN, 422 # of training Institutions ETA, 16 IBEW/ NJTAC, 13 UL, 1 AACC "SEED", 11 SITN Quality : Accredited, Credentialed Training SITN represents 88% of U.S. PV training market SITN: 422 community colleges are partners nationwide To date: trained 1,087 PV instructors & 225 SHC instructors 9 Regional Training Providers; National Administrator Nationwide, free online resources (9 modules and labs) Solar Energy Education and Training Best Practices SITN Trains Building Code Officials: Reducing costs, Increasing Safety IREC: FREE, rigorous On-Line PV Inspection training On-Site trainings: 4,200 officials trained to date National standard PV Installer curricula; Certification standards; linked to performance ISPQ & IREC Accreditation support (123 institutions) Advanced training structures: Solar marketing/business PV System design Technical sales CSP Solar Project Engineers http://www.pvonlinetraining.org
DOE SunShot Solar Training (DOD SkillBridge) Pilots (2015) DoD Skillbridge: DoD Policy began January 2014 Allows civilian skills training for transitioning service members Potential use of GI Bill benefits during Skillbridge May Participate up to 6 mo prior to separation Sectors with high probability of employment (ex. Solar) Solar Company Interview Dates at Pilot Locations: April 22 (Colorado) July 1 (Virginia) July 9 (Colorado) Interview dates subject to change Additional pilot locations in development For more information and to join a Solar HR company list regarding interviews for the pilots contact: Chris Nichols/SunShot Christina.Nichols@ee.doe.gov (202) 287-1849
Veterans Employment Center (VEC) The Federal Government s Single Online Tool for connecting employers and Veterans with employment outcomes Connects TSMs, Veterans and their families to meaningful career opportunities in the public and private sectors. For Job Seekers: Translate skills into civilian skill and career field equivalents. Utilize Profile & Résumé Builder. Search over 1.7 million opportunities in the Veterans Job Bank (VJB). View employer hiring and training commitments. Access to other informational resources to help find meaningful career opportunities and take advantage of special programs. For Employers: Easily post job opportunities to the Veterans Job Bank (VJB). Search verified Job Seeker Career Profiles and make an instant connection. Make a public hiring or training commitment. Access to other informational resources designed to help recruit and retain talent. https://www.ebenefits.va.gov/ebenefits/jobs Since inception, the VEC has received over 12.5 million page views and features 1.7 million jobs. It contains over 10,000 job seekers, and over 6,500 registered employers. Employers are reporting over 315,000 positions filled towards their Veteran hiring commitments. VETERANS BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION 11
U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Employer Resources American Job Centers (AJCs) The Department of Labor (DOL) sponsors American Job Centers (AJCs), located in 2,500 locations throughout the United States AJCs provide free employment services to veterans and to employers Find your local AJC/Career One-Stop Center at www.servicelocator.org CareerOneStop Business Center The CareerOneStop Business Center gives businesses access to the resources they need to recruit, train, and retain a skilled workforce Features of the Business Center include: Employment projections, wages, and unemployment rates for specific areas Access to local training and educational institutions Listings of top industries by employment - by state, metro area, and county A tool for finding military occupations related to specific civilian occupations The CareerOneStop Business Center is located at www.careeronestop.org Veterans Employment and Training Service (VETS)
U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Other Employer Resources Employer Resources The Veterans Employment Center has tools and resources for employers to find veterans: www.ebenefits.va.gov/ebenefits/employers Employers can post online jobs (if applicable) at no-cost with the National Labor Exchange (NLX) at: www.us.jobs Employers can post currently offline jobs to the NLX at no-cost through your state job bank at: www.careeronestop.org/jobsearch/cos_jobsites.aspx Americas Heroes at Work includes a step-by-step toolkit for employers interested in developing or enhancing their veterans hiring initiative. www.americasheroesatwork.gov/foremployers/hiringtoolkit Employers can connect with veterans across the U.S. through hiring fairs and employment summits. Visit www.uschamberfoundation.org/hiring-our-heroes to find events near you. Veterans Employment and Training Service (VETS)
Understanding the Post 9-11 GI Bill Allows veterans to pursue education and training Up to 36 months for education programs Vocational/Technical Training (non-college degree) On-the-Job Training and Apprenticeships supported Consider developing a relationship with an education or training provider (for example Solar Instructor Training Network providers). http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/post911_gibill.asp 14
Veterans Community and Existing Resources In today s military, service members operate and maintain high value technology and systems. Approximately 250,000 service members leave the military each year. Companies value the skills and initiative veterans bring to their organizations. Existing Resources: Consider a Portfolio Approach Veteran s Employment Center (Department of Veterans Affairs) America s Job Centers (Department of Labor) Employer Support for the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) Veteran Hiring Fairs Universities, College, and Community College Relationships Veterans in Your Company 15
Question Period Contact: Minh Le Director, SunShot Minh.le@ee.doe.gov Michael Baskin Veteran Talent Lead Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Michael.Baskin@ee.doe.gov http://energy.gov/eere/articles/leveraging-veteran-talent-opportunity-clean-energy-industry 16