How the U.S. solar industry can solve its 53K-worker challenge

The good news? The United States solar industry is scaling fast. The bad? The workforce needed to support it isn’t—a challenge that could eclipse the promise of many potential projects and slow down American energy diversification.

Solar is the nation’s top source of new electricity-generating capacity, and has been for five years running, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association. Clearly, solar is going strong in the states. Even so, the 2025 U.S. Energy & Employment Report and IREC National Solar Jobs Census predicts that a shortage of more than 53,000 qualified personnel will threaten deployment targets this year.

Developers, utilities and EPC firms are racing to close the gap. The hunt for every role across the project chain is on—from qualified electricians and power systems engineers to skilled craft labor and field supervisors—especially as critical 2026 federal tax credit deadlines loom. Inflation Reduction Act provisions tied to wage and apprenticeship requirements have made workforce development an even more important piece of the project strategy pie.

You don’t need to start from scratch

New approaches to solar workforce development are already offering a roadmap to make up the 53K deficit without compromising infrastructure integrity. Here are three effective examples.

1. Hybrid apprenticeship models

Hybrid apprenticeship programs combine structured, on-the-job training with classroom instruction, blending traditional time-based learning requirements with competency-based progression. Instead of advancing solely based on hours logged (like a typical apprenticeship), workers can move forward by demonstrating mastery of critical skills, helping accelerate development without compromising safety or quality.

Many of these programs also lead to federally approved apprenticeship credentials and industry-recognized certifications for high-demand roles such as electricians and solar installers, helping create a stronger, more transferable workforce pipeline across the energy sector.

2. Flexible entry points

Traditional workforce models often assume every worker starts from the same place. The solar industry no longer has that luxury. By combining competency-based learning with hands-on field experience, many apprenticeship programs now allow workers with prior construction backgrounds to receive credit for existing skills rather than restarting from square one.

Black & Veatch successfully used this approach through hybrid apprenticeship programs for a major renewable energy construction project in Texas. On one of the company’s largest solar initiatives, workers with experience in adjacent trades such as steel erection and residential framing received credit for existing skills and moved through the training faster.

By recognizing skills already developed over an individual’s career, Black & Veatch helped experienced workers transition into solar construction and quickly expanded the project’s potential labor pool. All programs adhere to the U.S. Department of Labor standards and use National Center for Construction Education & Research (NCCER) training materials, ensuring skills are transferable across the industry.

Flexible entry points attract experienced talent into a new-to-them field at a time when many tradespeople are nearing retirement. Expanding access to these careers will become increasingly important to maintain long-term workforce stability. It’s win-win.

3. Earlier workforce planning

The need extends beyond skilled craft labor. Successfully deploying utility-scale solar now also depends on having technical expertise to safely integrate new energy resources into the grid. That means power systems engineers, architects, code officials, field supervisors and other specialists capable of supporting more sophisticated and interconnected energy systems.

To solve for this, leading firms are integrating workforce strategy earlier in the project lifecycle. Planning includes:

• Identifying regional labor availability, opportunities and gaps
• Building relationships with local training programs
• Aligning apprenticeship pipelines with anticipated project demand

These partnerships also help ensure communities benefit directly from energy projects by creating long-term, local career opportunities tied to new infrastructure investment.

See what’s working for the solar workforce

An experienced EPC partner can help you plan and deploy a solar workforce strategy while also closing technical gaps as you train teams.

Case in point: While working on a project with half a million solar panels Black & Veatch needed to revise some of the design and pivot to a configuration involving different modules to close out the job. The modules had a different wattage and connector style, pressing Black & Veatch to find a fix. The company had a preliminary solution within a day by tapping its deep bench of experts. The job was finished not only on time but ahead of schedule.

As industry needs continue to evolve, conversations around workforce readiness, grid modernization and utility-scale solar deployment will remain front and center.

Learn more about what’s worked for clients of Black & Veatch—the #1 solar design firm in the country —including our renewable energy and apprenticeship initiatives, here.