Transfiguring the NREL/DOE Weatherization Installer Badges Training Program for the Broader Market

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) collaborate with the home energy retrofit industry to provide a Installer Badges Toolkit that delivers a flexible and customizable approach to training and skills recognition for Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) implementers, utility programs, private-sector workers, and contractors.

Working under the Portland Clean Energy Fund, a collaborative effort between LatinoBuilt, Earth Advantage, EnerCity Collaborative and NREL has been working to evaluate opportunities to customize and deliver these technical proficiency Badges through a localized training program. The effort aims to explore, and ultimately implement, a training and credentialing program based on as many as 25 Badges and their Standard Work Specifications (SWS), each of which represents different energy efficiency tasks that an installer could perform on a home (see Job Aids). The goal of the pilot program is to systematically grow a skilled home energy retrofit installer workforce and create a clear pathway into the residential energy efficiency industry among minorities and women. 

Join this session to hear about initial findings from this pilot program and explore opportunities to use the Badges program to help support/develop a training and credentialing program that can support industry needs in your local region.