DOL’s Office of Apprenticeship Denies Solar Industry’s Request to Approve Solar Installer as an Apprenticeable Occupation
Today, the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Office of Apprenticeship (OA) issued a determination that solar panel installation is not an “apprenticeable” occupation for which a registered apprenticeship program can be approved by OA or state apprenticeship agencies delegated authority by DOL to approve apprenticeship programs for federal purposes, including prevailing wage. Specifically, the notice states that “based on the current information available, [the OA] is not able to conclude that solar panel installation occupations are clearly identified and commonly recognized as distinctive occupations because the work processes and job activities involved in these occupations significantly replicate those of other existing apprenticeable occupations, such as electricians, iron workers, operating engineers, carpenters, and laborers.”
As a result of the OA’s determination that solar panel installation is not “apprenticeable,” solar panel installation work could be performed by apprentices in accordance with a work process schedule associated with existing Registered Apprenticeship for electricians, iron workers, operating engineers, carpenters, and laborers.
The full bulletin can be accessed here.
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