Training for Renewable/Sustainable Energy Public Policy Forum November 2009

Electricity Industry Employee Average Age Profile PPF Nov 2009

Utility Average hiring GAP per annum PPF Nov 2009

High Proportion of Contract Workers Percentage of staff contract/seasonal PPF Nov 2009

Solar Employment a comparison 2008 to 2011 A total of 45 respondents anticipated shortage of qualified personnel in 2011. Installation, systems design and integration, project management and engineering are key areas of shortage. A total of 45 respondents anticipated shortage in qualified personnel in 2011. Shortages are anticipated by 78% of respondents in the area of installation, primarily Solar Thermal installation (100%) compared to PV installation (42%). The next frequently mentioned area of shortage is systems design and integration by both PV and ST industry segments (overall 51% anticipate shortage). Project management and Engineering receive the next highest number of mentions(40% of respondents) followed by sales and technical areas. PPF Nov 2009 5

How critical is the shortage of solar personnel over the next 3 years ? A total of 53 respondents answered this question. Of these, 51% deemed the shortage to be critical to very critical for the future of their organization. Over the next 3 years, 26% of 53 respondents to this question considered the shortage very critical while 25% deemed the shortage to be critical. About a third of the respondents were neutral on this. PPF Nov 2009 6

Understanding the Occupational Environment Communities of employment are construction, manufacturing, service support and installation maintenance, important to be clear which communities of jobs we are discussing when we talk about occupational need. Policy initiatives will strongly impact growth prospects by category Many renewable energy specific occupations are not clearly defined by current occupational certification or regulation, there are differences of opinion in some categories of employment as to whether certain occupations are new or just add on training to existing well established roles Many traditional industry roles will require additional learning to adapt Provincial industry regulation varies, this may mean in some provinces who does the work is a regulated trade while in others not Occupational regulation/certification falls into 3 groups: occupation specific e.g. electrician, experiential specific e.g. certified geothermal installer or, equipment specific e.g. BP Certified Solar Installer PPF Nov 2009

What’s already in the works for Training? ESC has developed occupational standards for Wind Turbine Technician, Solar Thermal Installer, Solar PV Installer and, Geothermal Installer, Project Manager These solar standards are being used to create a national solar curriculum by the Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC) The ESC in partnership with the ACCC has a project to review these occupational standards with existing standards for red seal trades to better understand occupational relationship to existing roles Canadian Solar Industries Association and the Geoexchange Coalition have developed training programs for installers PPF Nov 2009

What’s already in the works for Training? The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) is bringing US solar training from their US apprenticeship Committee to their union training centres for electrician apprentices and journeys in Canada, revision of the US texts is underway ESC has a Wind Turbine Technician Curriculum available free to any Canadian Educational Institution www.brightfuturesbc.ca, an industry funded career initiative with renewable energy & energy efficiency skills profiles www.brightfutures.ca, renewable energy career profiles PPF Nov 2009

Poster with the signature graphics PPF Nov 2009

Folder Kit - note the images: Both genders Aboriginal Multi-racial and diverse Youth – the next legacy Alternative energy Teamwork Physical, outdoors and high-tech, indoors PPF Nov 2009

Job Descriptions PPF Nov 2009

What’s Green Really? Although the focus is on those that create or manage renewable energy generation technologies, many traditional occupations need to change to manage these types of power or energy operations Systems operators who manage the electrical grid need training to manage power sources that are very variable as opposed to the traditional constant flow, systems operators may now manage wind farms, at a distance and multiple locations feeding into the larger grid system Traditional trades such as electrician or line worker must be trained to understand these technologies What about energy efficiency roles? Major utilities are typically the leader in energy efficiency program roll out PPF Nov 2009

Other Frontiers Tidal power, commercial in Nova Scotia already Cogeneration-heat recapture and associated systems use traditional roles and traditional technologies more efficiently Stationary engineers (power engineers) who manage facilities, BOMA BC has a training program that will teach them to be more efficient, now Ontario is planning to use the same training program Biomass: Incineration or anaerobic digestion e.g. Charlottetown has burned garbage to generate traditional electricity for years PPF Nov 2009

The Best Way to Predict the Future is to Create the Future PPF Nov 2009