Solar Growth and Entry-level Opportunities
With the United States continuing its transition to solar power as the energy source of the 21st century, the sector is ripe with new career opportunities for those seeking to start their journey. This guide focuses on the most common entry-level opportunities as a solar installer or as a solar sales representative, shedding light on realistic paths and expectations for your first job in solar.
Solar is expected to supply 51% of the renewable energy by 2050 and renewables will account for 44% of the energy in the United States. As you can see from the chart below from the EIA, we are just now at an inflection incoming rise of solar power in The United States
Keep in mind that in recent years, solar implementation has been accelerating faster than forecasts have expected, so we may well see solar and renewables outpace these already aggressive forecast.
All of this expected growth has already led to more solar job opportunities these past years, but the next years will see massive growth. Now is a fantastic time to jump in and develop expertise for what will be a critical industry for the entire 21st century.
Entry-level opportunities in the solar industry can be abundant and diverse based on your skillsets. Whether you're interested in the hands-on work of solar panel installation and maintenance or the dynamic environment of sales, there are thousands of opportunities in the market today.
Below we’ll outline the common entry paths for new solar workers in installation and sales. In a follow-up blog post, we’ll dive into other entry-level jobs, which typically require more experience or advanced degrees.
Solar Installer Jobs – Entry-level opportunities
Solar installers are boots on the ground (or roof) of the industry. Solar installers account for 150,000+ of the solar jobs today and will keep on growing in the coming years. It is also a great entry point into the industry as you will get plenty of hands-on experience, understanding what it takes to lay a solar panel, integrate into the residential/commercial energy grid, and maintain the technology to ensure it remains performant over time
The role of a solar installer not only provides a stable job but also offers a sense of accomplishment as you directly contribute to the successful deployment of sustainable energy solutions. When you first plug in a home or business into the solar panel system, there is almost always a “wow” response from customers knowing that they are self-reliant. The next decade will require extensive installations across residential, commercial, and utility settings. Starting your career as an entry-level solar today will allow you to progress to project manage more complex projects or give you the opportunity to even start your own solar company. Check out our careers page on solar installers for even more information.
For those interested in becoming solar installers, it's important to note that the role can be physically demanding. It involves working outdoors, often at heights in the heat of the day, and requires a good understanding of electrical systems and general construction practices.
Tips for finding that entry-level job as an installer:
Learn by Doing: For many firms, a willingness to learn is as valuable as existing skills. While many installer jobs will require some prior construction experience, showing that you're excited about the job can go a long way. Order a DIY solar like this one to understand a simple version of what you’ll be installing. Moreover, it’s a good test to see if you’ll like the work. You’ll get a free charger out of it too!
Consider Industry Certifications: Earning certifications, such as those offered by NABCEP, can enhance your employability and show a genuine commitment to the industry. It won’t guarantee a job or a job interview, but will significantly boost your chances if you haven’t worked in industry before. It will also open up more networking opportunities.
Track jobs on our job board: Discover the latest opportunities for entry-level solar installers at our Job Board, allowing you to easily filter for entry-level Solar Installer Jobs.
Solar Sales Jobs – Entry-level jobs to learn the skills:
Solar sales positions offer a blend of solar knowledge and customer interaction, ideal for those who excel in communication and are passionate about renewable energy. There are many entry-level opportunities available even if you do not have direct experience in solar or even direct experience in selling a product.
You will need a good understanding of the current solar market landscape, the key value propositions of going solar (e.g. how long it takes to recoup your investment, benefits of clean energy, less grid reliance), and the ability to tell a compelling story about why your company can offer a seamless transition to solar versus any competitors you have in the region.
The vast majority of solar sales jobs are primarily residential as there are many more homes than businesses. Commercial sales roles are growing, but employers will likely require solar experience for these opportunities as buyers are more sophisticated and have more detailed requirements. You can certainly build your experience in residential and transition into a commercial sales roles in the future, but you will find it more challenging to jump directly into commercial solar sales
Tips for entry-level solar sales jobs:
Gather information from buyers - Talk to family, friends, or neighbors that have purchased solar. Why have they purchased solar? How was their buying experience? How did they decide to go with the solar provider? What was their Sales process like?
Learn the rebuttals - Talk to folks in your network who decided not to buy solar. What are their hesitations? Why was it not the right time?
Take online courses - Taking a short online course like Udemy’s “Double Your Solar Sales” to understand the buying process and how to improve. There is a ton of accessible educational content online. Set aside 1 hour a day to learn more solar and you’ll be surprised at how much you’ll know in 1 month. It will also be a good test to see if you like the job.
Stay on top of recent news - Local, state, and federal incentives have a big impact on whether or not consumers are ready to buy solar. For example, NEM 3.0 in California is causing a slowdown in solar demand this year. You’ll have to know the implications and how to talk to potential customers about what it means for them. Not every homeowner may be a great fit for solar right now, and your job as a great sales representative will be the find the right customer at the right time.
Browse our job board for the latest entry-level Sales jobs - You can directly subscribe to new sales jobs postings to stay on top of opportunities near you. Expect hiring to ramp in March as winter months tend to be slower in the industry.
Finally, as you’re searching for solar sales jobs, you’ll see a huge variance in salary ranges (if it’s publicly listed in states such as California where ranges are now required by law on the job descriptions). Most solar sales jobs will receive the bulk of their compensation based on commission, i.e. how many deals you can close. While upper ranges may be achievable (for example, $300,000), you should be skeptical of what it would take to close that many deals. When interviewing, make sure to ask what the average sales rep earns and how that breaks down between salary and commission. Don’t be surprised by what it would take to make your target salary and ask the right questions. If you’re bridging into solar, optimize your first opportunity for learning the ins & outs from an experienced team that has rewarded hard workers. Making sure you learn from the best will pay dividends for your continued career in solar.
Conclusion - Find your way in to keep shining in your career
There is no better day than today to start your career in Solar. We’ve highlighted two of the most common entry-points in Solar Installation and Solar Sales for you to consider in your job search. Both of these roles will give you an invaluable understanding of the work required to successfully deploy solar panels across the United States. Either of these opportunities will provide you with learnings to continue growing your career in solar. Learn more about additional opportunities in Installation & Operations and Project Development on our main site. Subscribe to new entry-level job listings at jobs.workinsolar.com to easily apply to jobs.