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Solar panels

Solar Energy Technician

Installing and maintaining solar panels on top of buildings and in solar power farms across the country

How this role makes a difference

The owners of residential and commercial properties are looking for ways to be energy efficient and to reduce the cost of their energy bills. One option for them could be installing solar panels, which collect solar power and convert it into renewable energy.

Solar energy technicians are responsible for installing solar panels on roofs and structures on land, maintaining the panels, and ensuring wiring systems are safe and efficient. You could be the technician who helps homes and businesses to have independent, renewable energy resources that bring their costs of operation down and protect the planet in the process.

The kind of work you’ll do

  • Assessing locations to make sure they are suitable for solar panels
  • Measuring up areas for installation
  • Producing reports and designs of recommended solutions
  • Installing and maintaining solar panels
  • Making adjustments to building surfaces to make sure panels fit and are adequately supported
  • Connecting solar panels to an electrical system
  • Checking wiring
  • Interacting with customers
Useful skills
Problem solving
Skills & attributes
Useful skills
Technologically minded
Skills & attributes
Useful skills
Communicating complex ideas
Skills & attributes
Useful skills
Attention to detail
Skills & attributes
Useful skills
Logical thinking
Skills & attributes

What you can bring to the role

A passion for increasing the use of solar power.

Some knowledge of electrical systems and how they work.

An organised approach to planning your work and designing systems.

The ability to look at a problem logically from all angles before deciding on the best way forward.

The determination to diagnose the reason for a problem and arrive at the best solution.

The confidence to try new equipment, as well as a knack for understanding how it’s used.

A natural ability to explain complex ideas or new technology to other people.

This role could also be right for you if you have any of the following interests:

- building, making and fixing things

- exploring problems and finding answers
sustainability

£ 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 , 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Average salary per year *
£ 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 , 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Average salary per month *

Data powered by LMI for all
*according to ONS

Future career opportunities

You could work in a specialist solar panel installation business that’s dedicated to either domestic or commercial installations. Once you’ve gained experience, you could lead a team of technicians and take on bigger projects.

There are also opportunities working in construction businesses that want to make new homes and commercial environments as energy efficient as possible. Alternatively, you might choose to be a freelance solar energy technician, offering your specialist skills to a range of different companies.

How to get into this role

There’s no perfect career path or ideal way into your dream job.

But if you’re interested in education and training options that could be relevant to this role, you might want to consider:  

Schools and colleges each have their own career guidance plan and can provide detailed information, advice, and guidance on options and next steps.

A little more about the role

Exciting features...

If enough solar energy is collected, whole homes and businesses can operate independently without any energy coming from the national grid. As a solar energy technician, you’ll be helping them to have clean power every day of the year that is pollution free and causes no greenhouse gases to be emitted after installation.

Other job titles...

This role can also be known by some other job titles including:

Solar Panel Installer
Solar Panel Engineer

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Solar Energy Technician

Jordan Steele
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