American-Made Upskill Prize for the Solar Manufacturing Workforce

Federal Agency

Sub-Department

Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy (EERE)

Purpose

A competition designed to accelerate the expansion of the domestic solar manufacturing workforce and equip workers with the skills necessary to revitalize the domestic solar manufacturing supply chain.

Applicant and/or Project Eligibility Requirements

Eligible applicants include private entities (for-profits and nonprofits); nonfederal government entities such as states, counties, tribes, and municipalities; and academic institutions. All teams must be led by a U.S.-based PV manufacturer or a U.S.-based training organization.

Decarbonization Considerations

A strong U.S.-based workforce is key to a successful and just clean energy transition. The prize incentivizes partnerships between U.S. manufacturers and training organizations, aiming to attract new individuals, especially from lower-income and disadvantaged communities, to careers in solar manufacturing with job-ready training programs.

Equity Considerations

The aim of this prize is to encourage partnerships between manufacturers and training organizations, in order to ensure the long-term growth and resilience of a solar manufacturing workforce that can meet the needs of the domestic solar industry, while also enabling individuals from lower-income and disadvantaged communities to enter the clean energy workforce. Consider how to recruit, hire, train, retain, and support employees who are from the community where manufacturing is taking place.

Helpful Tips

Successful applicants should note that the proposed workforce development plan is not dependent on new, pending, or proposed federal, state, or local government legislation, resolutions, appropriations, measures, or policies.

Other Notes

Competitors can apply and win more than once.