Staff in McCarthy’s photo voltaic apprenticeship program.
The Interstate Renewable Vitality Council (IREC), Institute for Office Abilities and Innovation (IWSI) America, and different companions have introduced the discharge of a 2025 report, “Expansion of Registered Apprenticeship Programs in Clean Energy,” highlighting the transformative influence of the Apprenticeships in Clear Vitality (ACE) Community. This collaborative effort is increasing Registered Apprenticeship (RA) packages throughout the clear vitality sector, supporting one of many fastest-growing industries within the U.S. financial system.
Clear vitality jobs now make use of practically 3.5 million People and are rising at twice the speed of total U.S. job development. But the speedy evolution of this sector has uncovered a essential hole: a scarcity of standardized, scalable and industry-aligned workforce coaching.
Enter the ACE Community, led by IREC and supported by IWSI and eight different associate organizations. The ACE Community gives technical help and vetted assets to assist employers, coaching suppliers and different organizations begin or be a part of Registered Apprenticeship packages. This initiative was supported by U.S. Division of Labor (DOL) funding by means of June 2025. The ACE Community will proceed to offer free technical help to help Registered Apprenticeships in clear vitality and construct on the achievements which can be documented on this report.
Key accomplishments of the ACE Community have included:
- Rising the variety of Registered Apprentices from simply 15 to over 1,000 in two years.
- Offering technical help to greater than 200 employers.
- Growing three Nationwide Guideline Requirements (NGS) that present fashions for apprenticeship packages in-demand occupations in clear vitality, comparable to Development Craft Laborer, Weatherization Technician, and Vitality Auditor.
- Launching progressive RA fashions in warmth pump set up and digital media for clear vitality employers.
“Clear vitality corporations want a pathway to rent and retain hundreds of expert workers, and Registered Apprenticeships completely match the invoice,” mentioned Susan Biszewski-Eber, senior supervisor of apprenticeship packages at IREC. “We now have been so thrilled to affix IWSI and different companions to help greater than a thousand new apprenticeships at dozens of vitality corporations. Sooner or later, we sit up for increasing our efforts to develop much more apprenticeship alternatives in clear vitality sectors like photo voltaic and storage, residence vitality efficiency, EVs and plenty of extra.”
IWSI America served as the first supplier of technical help and registration help, drawing on international finest practices to assist employers navigate RA techniques and launch sustainable packages. A full listing of associate organizations could be discovered on the program website.
Regardless of this system’s momentum, the report additionally revealed structural obstacles, together with the non-recognition of Photo voltaic Installer as an official occupation by DOL, lack of middleman entry to the RAPIDS monitoring database, and sluggish or inconsistent RA program approval processes throughout states.
To handle these points, the report outlines a collection of coverage suggestions to streamline apprenticeship registration, enhance flexibility, and broaden NGS for rising clear vitality roles. It additionally underscores the necessity for continued funding in sector-specific apprenticeship intermediaries to make sure long-term workforce success.
Organizations excited about receiving technical help from the ACE Community can full the intake form on this system web site.
Information merchandise from IREC
