NABCEP certification?

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sw_ross

Senior Member
Location
NoDak
Anybody have this or experience with it? It's for solar panel installation.

I'm interested in alternative energy, I know it's not a required cert. but might help get work in that area when it's available. I'm just not sure there's enough of that work around here to justify the effort involved in getting the cert.

Thanks,
Sky
 

Sierrasparky

Senior Member
Location
USA
Occupation
Electrician ,contractor
Anybody have this or experience with it? It's for solar panel installation.

I'm interested in alternative energy, I know it's not a required cert. but might help get work in that area when it's available. I'm just not sure there's enough of that work around here to justify the effort involved in getting the cert.

Thanks,
Sky
Yes it is pretty pricy.I here some states are trying to make it mandatory.
 

sw_ross

Senior Member
Location
NoDak
Iwire, what was your incentive or motivation to persue the cert. Is it required in your area or do you think it will provide more opportunities?

Sky
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
Iwire, what was your incentive or motivation to persue the cert.

The boss said 'get certified' :grin:


Is it required in your area or do you think it will provide more opportunities?

It is not officially required by law here but it is often a requirement in the job specifications we are getting to bid for the larger PV jobs. Also I think there is a lot of info in the classes that will be helpful for doing the jobs once we get them. We have a 500 KW PV job in progress, I have a 40 KW job coming up and have completed a 50 KW and a couple of smaller ones.
 

sw_ross

Senior Member
Location
NoDak
It looks like there are several different paths to go down in persuit of the cert. How are you going about it for your situation?
 

BretHeilig

Member
Location
Brooklyn NY
I have this cert. It's nice to have.. opens a lot of official-looking doors, and causes people to be much more comfortable dealing with you. It takes either 4 years experience, or 2 years plus some kind of accredited training (engineering degree, trade school, etc.) The exam is also expensive and difficult. But if you want to do PV, you will need this cert sooner or later. Most everyone I know in the industry who wears bags knows exactly what their plan is to get this cert, and how long they have before they can apply.
 

blingbling4r

Member
Location
Seattle, WA
Sorta required...

Sorta required...

In Washington state and more specifically the Seattle area we are seeing it being used as a job spec a lot like NICET certification where somebody within the organization has to have the piece of paper that says they are qualified.

They used to make the NABCEP pretty exclusive where you had to have a few years of solar experience before you can get your certification. But NABCEP saw another money making opportunity to create a "Entry Level PV Certification" where I believe all you have to do is pass the test and it has minimal, if any, work experience required.

This allows you to have the "NABCEP certification" that is required by the job specs since most specs that I've seen don't say "what level NABCEP". Depending on where you are in the country, a lot of the union apprenticeships are offering HEAVILY discounted training to pass the test. Portland, OR and Seattle, WA are amongst the ones we have dealt with to get guys certified.
 

SolarBri

Member
iwire...

iwire...

I took the NABCEP this fall and was able to pass first go :)
It was a tricky test. How did you make out?
 
NABCEP Entry Level Exam Questions?

NABCEP Entry Level Exam Questions?

I took the NABCEP this fall and was able to pass first go :)
It was a tricky test. How did you make out?

I had questions and concerns on what the test is about?
Are there Formulas
Diagrams
Definitions?
I just completed reading the Photovoltaic System Book by James P Dunlop
and also taking photovoltaic classes. My background is an electrical contractor, with a certification card of CA and taken 3 years of apprentice school related to electrical. So it cake to take the test or not at all?
 
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