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Workforce Training & Continuing Education

Solar Photovoltaic

FAQs

There is no college degree or formal certification, such as electrician or journeyman, required to attend any of the courses. A solid background or understanding of electricity and current electrical principles and codes is needed. Because these are important components, the first course in the series is Electrical Principles for Alternative Energy and is the pre-requisite for the other two courses. Currently, licensed Electricians or Electrical Engineers may waive this course with submission of their license.
Each course is 45 contact hours over 8-10 weeks. Completing all three courses takes approximately 7-9 months depending which semester you start.
The first course, Electrical Principles for Alternative Energy, is an online course. The other courses are hybrids and combine traditional classroom instruction with online learning. Students will find the syllabus, course module and assignments, PowerPoint presentations, videos and quizzes through CANVAS, Salt Lake Community College's online learning management system. In addition to online learning, each class will meet in-person every other Tuesday from 6 - 9 p.m. at our Westpointe Campus located at 1060 N. Flyer Way. The Advanced PV Systems course also includes two Saturday hands-on sessions that are more intensive and usually run 4-6 hours. Students will work in the Solar Training Yard, also at the Westpointe Campus, to complete an 'install' of various types of systems.

Salt Lake Community College issues a Certificate of Achievement at the completion of the appropriate courses - WTRE 0100 and 0200 for the Solar Sales Certificate. WTRE 0100, 0200 and 0300 for the Solar PV Installation program. These courses are non-credit and do not lead to a degree.

 

WTRE 0100 is a required course for students completing their Energy Management A.A.S. degree program, designated as EGMT 1700. WTRE 0200 and WTRE 0300 (EGMT 1710 and 1720 respectively) are technical electives for students enrolled in the EGMT degree program.

All courses are offered each semester. For scheduling purposes, keep in mind they must be taken in sequence. Additional courses may be added to meet student and/or industry needs.
Tuition for all three courses is approximately $2,400.00, including textbooks. This is based on Salt Lake Community College 2020-2021 tuition rates.
There is no required text for Electrical Principles for Alternative Energy. Basic PV Systems and Advanced PV Systems courses both use the textbook "Photovoltaic Systems",3rd Edition. Advanced PV Systems course also requires the most current NEC Handbook. These can all be purchased from various on-line sources. A recommended book is "Ugly's Reference Guide" - YES, that is the name of the book. You can purchase this through numerous sources online or at most any local store that sells electrical equipment.

At the completion of the Solar Photovoltaic program at SLCC, including all three courses, students will have surpassed the minimum number of education hours required to take any of the Exams, specifically the PV Technical Sales and their highest certification, PV Installation Professional.


NABCEP now offers many other certifications. They include PV Associate, PV Installer Specialist and PV Design Specialist. These are not the same as being a Certified installer, but it says to a potential employer that you're getting into the industry and have learned enough to pass a still rigorous exam.


You can find additional details about each of these on the NABCEP website.