- GREEN Solar Academy – a provider of professional solar training in Africa – is re-running its Women’s Month Campaign that aims to position women as the ideal candidates to fill certain roles in the solar industry where employers are having trouble finding suitable staff.
In years gone by, GREEN Solar Academy has endeavoured to reach women directly, but considering that their network of installers – and the industry itself – is predominantly male, they have decided to task THEM with unearthing the HIDDEN GEMS in their midst: a colleague, a daughter, a wife or friend who would be brilliant in a solar PV business.
With a series of articles and career portraits, GREEN Solar Academy wants to get the message out there that solar is about far more than installation and shed some light on the variety of jobs that are available in solar, and that women bring a different energy and talent for certain tasks in the PV industry that can add real value to any business.
Far from taking jobs away from their male colleagues, women can and do fill the gaps where employers are struggling to find the right person for the task, for instance in finance, system design, management and sales. They also have a high potential to increase the overall effectiveness of a company, simply by widening the perspective and adding a different point of view during negotiations and sales talks.
Nothing stops you as a female from being your own boss and having a career in the solar PV industry. Image credit: GREENSolar Academy
To support women to join the industry, GREEN Solar Academy offers a variety of enticing incentives during Women’s Month:
- Women get 15% OFF any course booked and paid for during August. The discount applies on all courses until December – people can choose the dates and venue that suit them.
- Anyone who books along with them will ALSO get 15% OFF the price of that course.
The discounts apply to trainings across the board, from the foundational Solar 101 course to the SAPVIA-endorsed SuperSolarSchool PV GreenCard training as well as advanced courses such as Commercial PV System Designerand Financing of PV Systems.
GREEN Solar Academy is encouraging everybody to proactively approach women to join the industry and would like to motivate many more to increase the impact. Share the Hidden Gems challenge, join in and share your story about a gem that you found!
Let’s bring more women than ever into the solar industry. Keep an eye on the GREEN Solar Academy social media channels and visit the website for more information on the trainings on offer.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
