Veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces (Veterans) are invited to apply for PV Associate, PV Installation Professional, PV Installer Specialist and PV Commissioning & Maintenance Specialist Exams by way of the Veterans Pathway.

The NABCEP Associate Program (PVA) is intended for individuals working or seeking employment in the renewable energy industry, including students in renewable energy programs, workers at an early stage in their renewable energy career, experienced professionals new to the renewable energy field, or those in renewable energy jobs for which there is no professional certification. Obtaining this credential is often the first step toward a NABCEP Board Certification or added recognition in a field with many career paths to pursue.

The PV Installation Professional (PVIP) Board Certification is considered to be the gold standard for PV professionals in the renewable energy industry. Recognized and demanded by organizations worldwide, the PVIP Board Certification validates your competence to perform in the role of PV Installation Professional, which encompasses PV design, installation, operations, commissioning and maintenance. It is our most commonly sought after Professional Board Certification and on average leads to an $11,000 salary increase for workers in the solar industry. Furthermore, 60% of EPCs consider NABCEP Board Certifications “essential” or “very important” when hiring and 75% of people on Indeed said earning their NABCEP PV Installation Professional Board Certification helped them get a job.

The PV Installer Specialist (PVIS) Board Certification was designed for those who are highly competent with all aspects of PV installation processes, from installing DC and AC PV system conductors, raceways, system monitoring, control, and communication hardware to developing safety plans.

The PV Commissioning & Maintenance Specialist (PVCMS) Board Certification highlights your expertise in the areas of operations, maintenance and commissioning. It spotlights your ability to apply verification protocols, critically analyze systems, and implement preventive and corrective maintenance procedures for PV systems.

The PV Technical Sales (PVTS) Board Certification highlights your expertise in the areas of qualifying prospects, site analysis, conceptual system design, performance analysis and financial incentives of PV systems. It spotlights your ability to collect technical requirements, analyze customer needs and determine energy usage to advise and provide customers with the most appropriate solution for their situation.

The Veterans Pathway allows those with qualifying experience in the U.S. Armed Forces to apply for the PV Associate, PV Installation Professional, PV Installer Specialist and PV Commissioning & Maintenance Specialist Exams exam. Veterans listing their experience performing similar or equivalent tasks and activities to qualify should align with those identified as uniform standards of best practice for entry-level solar professionals in the PV Associate Job Task Analysis (PVA JTA), the PV Installation Professional Job Task Analysis (PVIP JTA), the Photovoltaic Specialists Job Task Analysis (covers both the PVIS and PVCMS) and the PV Technical Sales Job Task Analysis (PVTS JTA)

Experience may include electrical, construction, roofing, solar, architecture, design, engineering, operation & maintenance of electrical systems or components, finance, or sales experience and may come from multiple roles or positions within the Armed Forces.

For the PVA exam, the total qualifying experience must add up to at least 6 months or 910 employment hours. For the PVIP exam, the candidate has to have corroboration from an employer that they have exhibited the correct decision making skills in regards to installing a PV system. For the PVIS exam, the candidate has to have corroboration from an employer that they have exhibited the correct decision making skills in regards to the broader process of PV installations. For the PVCMS exam, the candidate has to have corroboration from an employer that they have exhibited the correct decision making skills in regards to the operations, maintenance and commissioning tasks for PV systems. For the PVTS exam, the candidate has to have corroboration from an employer that they have exhibited the correct decision making skills resulting in the completed sale and installation of a PV system. A DD-214 form is required to be uploaded in the application for proof of eligibility for all exams.

A veteran is defined as someone who served and then left the military under their own volition or was honorably discharged. Candidates must also accept NABCEP’s strict policy for failed exams, and there will be no refund made available to them for the application or testing fees.

With the launch of the new myNABCEP platform, Applicants no longer start their application from their myNABCEP account.

To begin an application for the NABCEP PV Installation Professional – Veterans Pathway, you are required to self-enroll in the certification you wish to apply for by clicking on the self-enrollment button below. The application will automatically populate to your myNABCEP account.  If you do not have a myNABCEP account, you will be prompted to open one during the self-enrollment.

To begin an application for the NABCEP PV Associate – Veterans Pathway, you are required to self-enroll in the credential you wish to apply for by clicking on the self-enrollment button below. The application will automatically populate to your myNABCEP account.  If you do not have a myNABCEP account, you will be prompted to open one during the self-enrollment.

Please note: Applicants, Candidates and Certificants are allowed only ONE account in the NABCEP Database. Each candidate must have a unique Profile including their own email address. Adding or having multiple accounts in myNABCEP may result in your Exam Score being invalidated.

Still not sure what to do?

Watch the video below for information on the Veterans Program and step-by-step application instructions.

NABCEP is proud to announce that all of its solar PV Board Certifications and Associate Credentials were recently approved by the US Department of Veteran Affairs to receive benefits under the GI Bill. Due to this momentous federal approval, veterans can now apply for reimbursement of exam fees for a NABCEP exam related to solar PV. Those who are military personnel transitioning to the civilian workforce can begin the process of applying to qualify, but must wait to acquire their DD-214 before gaining approval.

The NABCEP Board Certifications and Associate Credential exams that can be reimbursed by the GI Bill include:

• PV Associate Credential
• PV Installation Professional (PVIP) Board Certification
• PV Installer Specialist (PVIS) Board Certification
• PV Commissioning & Maintenance Specialist (PVCMS) Board Certification
• PV Technical Sales (PVTS) Board Certification
• PV System Inspector (PVSI) Board Certification
• Solar Heating Installer (SHI) Board Certification
• Solar Heating  System Inspector (SHSI) Board Certification

The NABCEP PV Associate Program is intended for individuals working or seeking employment in the renewable energy industry, including students in renewable energy programs, workers at an early stage in their renewable energy career, experienced professionals new to the renewable energy field, or those in renewable energy jobs for which there is no professional certification. Obtaining this credential is most often the first step toward a NABCEP Board Certification or added recognition in a field with many career paths to pursue.

Click the button below to apply for reimbursement of your NABCEP exam fees. You must apply separately for VA education benefits if you have not already done so. You can receive reimbursement of a licensing or certification test fee if you qualify for VA benefits under one of the following programs:

• Montgomery GI Bill – Active Duty Educational Assistance Program (MGIB) (Chapter 30)
• Post-Vietnam Era Veterans Educational Assistance Program (VEAP) (Chapter 32)
• Post-9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33)
• Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program (DEA) (Chapter 35)
• Montgomery GI Bill – Selected Reserve Program (MGIB-SR) (Chapter 1606)
• Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP) (Chapter 1607)

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by the VA is available at the official U.S. government website at http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.

Solar Certification Career Map

When you’re transitioning to civilian life, it can be hard to know where to start in the solar industry.
NABCEP helps ease the way.

NABCEP Credentials like the PV Associate (in the center of the Career Pathways) help prepare veterans and transitioning military personnel for a career in the renewable energy industry. For many people, this is the first step toward working in the PV Industry. NABCEP Board Certifications are earned by demonstrating your training, experience, and passing a rigorous exam.

Board Certifications positively impact your career by giving you:

• Increased marketability
• Validation of knowledge
• Enhanced reputation, credibility, & consumer confidence

NABCEP Board Certifications also help employers fill job openings. Our Board Certifications are a reliable predictor of success, proving that candidates have the knowledge and skills to get the job done right.