The Global Solar Council and the Global Wind Energy Organization are working together to develop standardized basic training for PV technicians, starting with utility-scale solar.

The Solar Training Standards Program will set industry-wide standards to ensure the safety, quality and growth of the solar PV workforce.

It will begin work on standardized training modules that include learning objectives covering the most common workflows as well as hazards and risks for utility-scale solar technicians. The Global Solar Council says the training will be closely aligned with guidelines and job role definitions already issued by representative bodies such as the American Clean Energy Council's Entry Level Solar Technician Training Guide.

Assessments conducted by the Global Solar Council and stakeholders of the Global Wind Energy Organization indicate that the training standards will avoid large-scale duplication across the industry and may reduce transaction costs and increase productivity. The initiative is expected to help asset owners and developers recommend industry-approved safety training for their engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractors.