Local young people to earn certified Solar Panel Installer credentials
[Columbia, MO] May 15, 2025 — Job Point YouthBuild has been selected as one of 17 YouthBuild programs nationwide to launch a new solar workforce training initiative through YouthBuild Global, backed by funding from Invest in Our Future. The program will provide hands-on, industry-aligned training in solar panel installation for local opportunity youth to pursue family-sustaining careers in energy infrastructure.
As the demand for domestic energy production continues to rise, the need for skilled workers in solar panel installation remains high. Through this initiative, participants will gain practical experience, workforce readiness, and employer-recognized credentials — preparing them to fill critical roles in the domestic energy economy.
By scaling this offering through generous funding from Invest in Our Future, YouthBuild Global aims to bridge the skills gap and create pathways to family-sustaining employment for opportunity youth.
Travis Kroner, Director of Affordable Housing stands with Tom O’Connor, Solar Instructor, and Nick Durkin, Senior Construction Instructor.
Partnering with H20’C Solar Engineering, Job Point YouthBuild is pleased to offer solar training thanks to this initiative. Solar Instructor, Tom O’Connor, will teach the program and train additional staff. O’Connor has been a professional engineer and Master Electrician for more than 32 years, training and supervising staff and teaching classes for utility systems operators. Under his guidance, Job Point YouthBuild intends to train 10 students on solar installations and systems.
“Our young people are motivated, talented, and ready to power America’s future,” said Jerrell Morton, Director of Job Point YouthBuild. “This opportunity is about more than job training — it’s about opening doors to long-term careers that support families and strengthen America’s economy. We’re excited to see where this training program takes our young people on their quest for greatness.”
Building on the success of its solar installation training and certification pilot, YouthBuild Global launched its Solar Jobs Pathway Initiative in 17 local YouthBuild programs across the United States, Job Point YouthBuild being one of them. This expansion will provide more than 200 opportunity youth with the skills and credentials needed to pursue careers in solar installation and energy infrastructure.
As a core element of the YouthBuild model, opportunity youth — young adults between the ages of 16 and 24 who are neither in school nor employed — learn job skills in construction and other high-demand employment sectors. Last year, to recognize this experience and remove any redundancies found in conventional curricula, YouthBuild Global partnered with Unirac, STEP-UP Solar, and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) to develop and implement a curriculum specifically for YouthBuild students and graduates.
The resulting credentials are specifically designed for opportunity youth who already have experience in construction and other skills training, streamlining the certification process and directly responding to the skills gap. The initial proof of concept was supported by the RBC Foundation USA and Bank of America Charitable Foundation.
This expansion will provide critical resources to YouthBuild programs, including:
- Technical assistance, in-kind resources, and subgrants to build solar training labs, complete certification training and deliver job skills training;
- Resources to help YouthBuild programs engage with postsecondary institutions, industry organizations, and employer partners like those at Freedom Forever, who are working closely with YouthBuild Global to develop YouthBuild’s workforce talent;
- A community of practice where program staff and participants can identify barriers to solar workforce entry, address challenges related to workforce retention, and support placement in solar installation jobs; and
- Learning opportunities and industry convenings for YouthBuild program leaders and construction trainers to exchange best practices in solar training and participate in industry conferences.
About Job Point
Job Point is Missouri’s premier employment center and Community Development Corporation. Since 1965, we have been linking people and jobs by providing career planning and job placement assistance. We specialize in preparing individuals to enter the workforce, while meeting a critical need of the business community. The organization is headquartered in Columbia, Missouri, with services extending to Moberly, Boonville and the surrounding communities. Since 2003, Job Point’s YouthBuild program has helped over 1,100 youth and young adults reclaim their education and build the skills they need for life-long learning, leadership and personal and professional success.
About YouthBuild
With love and respect, YouthBuild partners with opportunity youth to build the skillsets and mindsets that lead to lifelong learning, livelihood, and leadership. At more than 320 YouthBuild programs around the world, young people who are out of school and out of work reclaim their education, gain job skills and credentials, and become leaders in their communities. To date, YouthBuild has partnered with more than 210,000 young people to dedicate over 52 million hours of service benefitting rural, urban, suburban, and tribal communities. YouthBuild Global — the headquarters for the YouthBuild movement — unifies and partners with this expansive network of YouthBuild programs. From training, technical assistance, capacity building, and innovative program enhancements to leadership development, financial stability, and narrative change and public policy, YouthBuild Global serves as a convener, collaborator, and catalyst for the entire YouthBuild movement. YouthBuild strives to create a world where all young people are seen for their potential and power to transform themselves and their communities.
For more information about YouthBuild Global and the YouthBuild movement, visit YouthBuild.org.
