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Solar Thermal Installer or Technician

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All About Solar Thermal Installers and Technicians

Career Description Install or repair solar energy systems designed to collect, store, and circulate solar-heated water for residential, commercial or industrial use.

Daily Life Of a Solar Thermal Installer or Technician

  • Install solar thermal system controllers and sensors.
  • Install heat exchangers and heat exchanger fluids according to installation manuals and schematics.
  • Install flat-plat, evacuated glass, or concentrating solar collectors on mounting devices, using brackets or struts.
  • Assess collector sites to ensure structural integrity of potential mounting surfaces or the best orientation and tilt for solar collectors.
  • Fill water tanks and check tanks, pipes, and fittings for leaks.
  • Design active direct or indirect, passive direct or indirect, or pool solar systems.

Skills Needed to be a Solar Thermal Installer or Technician

These are the skills Solar Thermal Installers and Technicians say are the most useful in their careers:

Installation: Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or programs to meet specifications.

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Quality Control Analysis: Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

  • Thermal Systems Technician
  • Solar Installation Technician
  • Ancillary Technician
  • Ancillary Support Technician
  • Solar Energy Technician

Job Opportunities for Solar Thermal Installers and Technicians

In the United States, there were 42,700 jobs for Solar Thermal Installer or Technician in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 9.6% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 4,100 new jobs for Solar Thermal Installer or Technician by 2026. The BLS estimates 5,100 yearly job openings in this field.

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The states with the most job growth for Solar Thermal Installer or Technician are District of Columbia, Colorado, and Idaho. Watch out if you plan on working in Maine, Alaska, or Virginia. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

What Tools do Solar Thermal Installers and Technicians Use?

Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Solar Thermal Installers and Technicians:

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Word
  • Microsoft Office
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Word processing software
  • Autodesk AutoCAD
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop
  • National Instruments LabVIEW
  • Dassault Systemes CATIA
  • Dassault Systemes SOLIDWORKS
  • Salesforce software
  • Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications VBA
  • Work scheduling software
  • Palm OS
  • 1CadCam Unigraphics
  • Cost estimating software
  • Project management software
  • PTC Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire
  • Computer-aided drafting or design software

How do I Become a Solar Thermal Installer or Technician?

What kind of Solar Thermal Installer or Technician requirements are there?

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What work experience do I need to become a Solar Thermal Installer or Technician?

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References:

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More about our data sources and methodologies.

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