WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the winners in the first round of the American-Made Upskill Prize for the Solar Manufacturing Workforce (Upskill Prize). The two selected teams will receive up to $500,000 each to implement comprehensive workforce training plans, aiming to support high-quality employment prospects and skill sets that can be utilized for career growth and various opportunities within the solar manufacturing industry. DOE also opened a second round of the prize for new applicants. 

"The solar industry is thriving, spurring job growth and increasing the demand for skilled workers,” said Jeff Marootian, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. “We’re excited to support these prize winners with funding for workforce training partnerships that foster inclusion and create new pathways to good paying jobs and careers in clean energy."

The solar manufacturing sector is expected to add more than 35,000 new jobs following nearly $17 billion in planned investments as a result of the Biden-Harris Administration’s strategy to strengthen America’s manufacturing and industrial competitiveness. The DOE Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) launched the Upskill Prize in March of 2024 to address challenges in scaling the U.S. solar manufacturing workforce. The prize encourages partnerships to train workers in highly-skilled jobs that manufacturers have struggled to fill, including semiconductor processors, manufacturing equipment technicians, and operators. 

The Round 1 winners are: 

• Louisiana First Solar Force: This project is a collaboration between the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (ULL) and First Solar to establish a semiconductor technical training center focused on thin-film solar processes to support the workforce at First Solar’s new Louisiana facility. The training center will be located at ULL Research Park and provide training for operators, technicians, engineers, data scientists, and managers.
• Training in Solar Manufacturing: Crossroads Solar Enterprises and the Purdue University Manufacturing Extension Partnership are partnering to offer solar manufacturing training to returning citizens. The training will support both new and incumbent workers at Crossroads Solar on topics including equipment maintenance and quality management. Employees will also receive a certificate from Purdue after completing training. 

Round 2 contestants should submit applications by November 20. Winning teams will receive up to $500,000 each for their submissions. View the official rules and sign up to compete. 

The Upskill Prize complements ongoing SETO investments in an inclusive solar workforce, including a $13.5 million funding program comprised of 12 projects focused on launching training partnerships to expand the solar energy workforce. 

Read more about SETO’s solar workforce development and PV manufacturing efforts.