DOE offers $5 million in prize money to train workers for a career in solar manufacturing
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has introduced a new competition that is designed to expand the country’s solar manufacturing workforce. The competition, named American-Made Upskill Prize for the Solar Manufacturing Workforce, will be funded by the DOE Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO). The $5 million in prize money will be awarded to teams of U.S. solar manufacturers and training organizations, including unions and community colleges, that offer compelling plans to help upskill current employees or attract and train new employees. Each selected team will receive up to $500,000 to implement their projects. Applications are due by May 21.
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In a recent quote, Jeff Marootian, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, said, “The Biden-Harris Administration’s historic investments in solar energy manufacturing can reinvigorate communities across the country with good-paying, family-sustaining jobs. With that goal in mind, DOE is launching a first-of-its kind prize focusing on ensuring that our community colleges, labor unions, and other training organizations are fully equipped to prepare workers seeking to enter this emerging field.”
About the Author
Alexis GajewskiAlexis Gajewski
Senior Content Strategist
Alexis Gajewski is a manufacturing writer and editor with nearly 20 years of experience covering the people, practices, and technologies that keep industrial facilities running. For more than a decade, she served as Senior Content Strategist for Plant Services, creating content for plant managers, engineers, and maintenance professionals on a variety of industrial topics.
During her tenure, Alexis worked to develop the brand’s digital strategy and helped launch and produce Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast. She also created The Lighter Side of Manufacturing, a weekly blog that explored the inventive and sometimes humorous side of the industry.
Alexis co-founded Influential Women in Manufacturing, a recognition program that honored 49 women in its first two years, earned an industry award for Best Product Launch, and received a proclamation from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and a commendation from U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth.
She also led newsroom operations and development at a large media company where she set editorial standards, developed training curriculum, and helped support AI adoption for more than 150 editors across 80+ brands spanning manufacturing, industrial processing, automation, and more.
Additionally, Alexis works as a freelance writer and editor, and her areas of interest include continuous improvement, the skilled workforce, and the role of emerging technology on the plant floor.
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