Introducing Half the Sun: A Global Solar Scholarship for Women
About Half the Sun Scholarship
Nextracker and Solar Energy International (SEI), the world’s leading renewable energy technical training provider, have partnered to launch Half the Sun, a global scholarship program to support more women in joining the solar workforce.
Women and non-binary individuals continue to be severely underrepresented in the solar industry, despite overwhelming agreement that a diverse workplace makes smart business sense. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), women account for only 28% of the Science, Technology, Engineering or Math (STEM) jobs in the global solar industry. This disproportionate gender gap largely stems from insufficient training and networking opportunities. Since women make up half the world’s population, Half the Sun esteems to boost female and non-binary participation to 50%, or half the solar energy workforce.
A Needs-Based Scholarship
Half the Sun is a needs-based scholarship program – offered in both English and Spanish – that aims to address the lack of gender diversity by increasing pathways into the solar industry. Fostering the next generation of female and non-binary solar professionals, Half the Sun awards financial assistance for professional training in the form of tuition fees for online instruction on topics ranging from solar technology basics to installation best practices and solar sales. With the global renewable workforce set to grow by almost 30 million people by 2030, Half the Sun can help shape this workforce with a more diverse pool of candidates.
Fully Funded Six-Weeks of Online Solar Training
Each year for three years, the program will provide 10 students with a full scholarship for an SEI solar training course lasting six weeks. To best serve the global communities and markets Nextracker serves, the following regions will receive two grants each: Europe, United States, the MEIAT region (Middle East Africa, India, and Turkey); Australia and Asia Pacific; and Latin America. Open to women and non-binary individuals, applicants must have earned a degree in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields or related area of concentration.
“With a 30-year history of providing solar educational courses and training, award recipients can expect to learn photovoltaic basics and lay a strong foundation for a career in photovoltaics,” said Elizabeth Sanderson, SEI Executive Director. “We look forward to supporting Nextracker’s diversity, equity, and inclusion goals by offering cutting-edge, world-class solar educational training to the next generation solar workforce. These corporate partnerships, such as the Nextracker Half the Sun Scholarship, help the industry at large be as diverse, innovative, and prosperous as possible.”
Application deadline: October 15, 2021
Awardees announced: November 15, 2021
For further information on the program, click here or contact hr@nextracker.com.
We’ve Got You: Networking, Mentoring, & Local Support
Following the date the awards will be announced, regional members of Nextracker Women’s Network (NWN) will provide networking and one-on-one mentoring for award recipients which will continue even after the six week training has finished. This Network (NWN) unites, promotes and inspires diversity in the workplace through social networking, educational opportunities and professional development. Recipients will gain access to Nextracker’s established professional network to discuss shared experiences in the workplace, from the challenges of working motherhood to gender imbalances at meetings.