The Issue
In February 2014, Operation Free and The Solar Foundation® released a joint report, Veterans in Solar: Securing America’s Energy Future, which established the most complete understanding to date of veteran employment in the American solar industry.
Through this collaboration, we are able to illustrate through hard numbers that veterans are hugely beneficial to the clean energy economy (and vice versa). Veterans bring unparalleled technical skills and a relentless focus on accomplishing the mission, and many view their work in clean energy as a continuation of their service. To continue expanding and strengthening our national security, the solar industry needs access to both a highly skilled workforce and talented business leaders.
In May 2016, Operation Free joined forces with the DOE Sunshot Initiative’s Solar Ready Vets program to further our commitment to support veteran employment in the solar industry. Solar Ready Vets is a solar jobs training program that brings together our nation’s service members and the solar energy industry to prepare military personnel in “transitioning military” status for solar-related careers. The program’s training locations recently expanded to 10 military installations across the country with plans to increase the number of program graduates from 291 to 2,500.
For more information on Solar Ready Vets, click here.
