Austin, TX – The Texas Solar Energy Society (TXSES) today announced it is part of a team that has received a contract from the Texas Comptroller’s State Energy Conservation Office (SECO) to prepare current and future students and individuals for careers in clean energy. These funds will support TXSES’s mission to ensure equitable access to solar energy for every Texan.
“We’re excited to be partnering with the Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC) and Green Careers Dallas to develop curriculum guidelines, identify career pathways, share labor market data and resolve issues relating to solar training and workforce development,” said Patrice ‘Pete’ Parsons, TXSES executive director.
Through a dynamic approach to curriculum development and outreach to low- to moderate (LMI) communities, From Classroom to Career: Building the Pipeline for Texas’ Clean Energy Workforce will engage with students, trainers and teachers to define the future of clean energy education and training. Using innovative approaches to training, including distance learning courses and mobile laboratory training modules, the training will allow students to gain access to entry and mid-level positions with solar and other clean energy businesses.
“These state funds will enable TXSES to leverage its renown educational and outreach expertise to build a statewide training and education framework that will result in a well-trained, highly-qualified solar energy workforce of sufficient size and diversity to meet the projected needs of high penetrations of distributed solar energy in Texas,” said Parsons.
About TXSES
For more than four decades, TXSES has been the pre-eminent statewide non-profit organization developing free, fact-based information and quality clean energy educational materials that inspire innovation, and share best practices for decision-makers that will lay the foundation for energy independence. A membership-based organization, TXSES’s unique niche is its well-established local chapters in Austin, Dallas, El Paso, Houston and San Antonio. https://txses.org
About Green Careers Dallas
Green Careers Dallas (GCD) is a non-profit organization that provides solar installation training to residents of South Dallas. GCD aims to empower and energize the people of South Dallas by creating innovative economic opportunities in underserved neighborhoods. https://greencareersdallas.org/
About SECO
The State Energy Conservation Office (SECO) partners with Texas local governments, county governments, public K-12 schools, public institutions of higher education and state agencies to reduce utility costs and maximize efficiency. SECO also adopts energy codes for single-family residential, commercial and state-funded buildings. https://comptroller.texas.gov/programs/seco
About HARC
HARC engages in research that helps people thrive and nature flourish. Our expertise is focused on the science and engineering needed to understand and address issues related to air quality, clean energy, water resources, and climate risk. https://harcresearch.org