Talk to your school counselor about programs and classes like woodworking that are offered at your school so you can start learning skills that will get you started in this field.

Find a class to jump-start your construction skills.

Search online for how-to videos to see how hard this work is to master--and whether it's something you think you'd like. Does seeing this kind of work in action make you more interested in trying it?

Watch tutorials on how to do this kind of work.

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs.

The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.

The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.

The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.

The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

Solar Heating Installers and Technicians

Install or repair solar energy systems designed to collect, store, and circulate solar-heated water for residential, commercial or industrial use.

Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.

Realistic

Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.

Conventional

Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.

Investigative

Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.

Social

Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.

Enterprising

Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art.

Artistic

If you're thinking about technical college, I recommend getting in touch with the faculty and asking for a tour. Go to the school and see for yourself if it would be a good fit. Speak to the instructors, tour the school, and see what kind of tools and training simulators they have. I also suggest taking advantage of internships. If a company or industry sounds interesting, apply for an internship and get first-hand insight into the work.

I get to the office at 7 a.m. to check my emails and catch up on anything that happened overnight. The technicians show up at 7:30 a.m. We start the day with a meeting where I touch base with all of my technicians, address any issues, and go over site and safety updates. The rest of my day involves a lot of calls and meetings. I also touch base with my field technicians. I spend the end of my day handling work orders that have been completed throughout the day and then planning for the next day.

Lead Solar Technician

Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed

Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.

Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.

Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.

Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.

Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or programs to meet specifications.

Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Managing one's own time and the time of others.

Solar Thermal Installers and Technicians

Miscellaneous Construction and Related Workers

Construction and Related Workers, All Other

Construction and Extraction Occupations

Other Construction and Related Workers

Test operation or functionality of mechanical, plumbing, electrical, and control systems.

Apply weather seal, such as pipe flashings and sealants, to roof penetrations and structural devices.

Install solar collector mounting devices on tile, asphalt, shingle, or built-up gravel roofs, using appropriate materials and penetration methods.

Install copper or plastic plumbing using pipes, fittings, pipe cutters, acetylene torches, solder, wire brushes, sand cloths, flux, plastic pipe cleaners, or plastic glue.

Identify plumbing, electrical, environmental, or safety hazards associated with solar thermal installations.

Demonstrate start-up, shut-down, maintenance, diagnostic, and safety procedures to thermal system owners.

Install circulating pumps using pipe, fittings, soldering equipment, electrical supplies, and hand tools.

Install flat-plat, evacuated glass, or concentrating solar collectors on mounting devices, using brackets or struts.

Install solar thermal system controllers and sensors.

Fill water tanks and check tanks, pipes, and fittings for leaks.

Autodesk AutoCAD

Dassault Systemes CATIA

Dassault Systemes SolidWorks

PTC Pro/ENGINEER Wildfire

Microsoft PowerPoint

Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications VBA

National Instruments LabVIEW

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Outlook

Adobe Photoshop

1CadCam Unigraphics

Salesforce software

Microsoft Office software

Microsoft Word

Cordless drills

Impact drills

Right-angle drills

Extension ladders

Fiberglass extension ladders

Channel lock pliers

Vise grip pliers

Large pipe wrenches

Medium pipe wrenches

Jig saws

Reciprocating saws

Tubing cutters

Stud locators

Digital multimeters

Rat tail files

Volt-ohm meters VOM

Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.

Performing general physical activities includes doing activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.

Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.

Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.

How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?

A lot of freedom

Some freedom

How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?

Every day

Once a week or more but not every day

Once a month or more but not every week

How much freedom does the worker have in determining the tasks, priorities, or goals of the job?

Limited freedom

How often is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?

How important is it to deal with external customers (as in retail sales) or the public in general (as in police work) in this job?

Deal With External Customers or the Public in General

Extremely important

Very important

Important

How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?

What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?

Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results

Very important results

Important results

Moderate results

How often does this job require working outdoors, exposed to all weather conditions?

Outdoors, Exposed to All Weather Conditions

Never

How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?

How important is it to work with or contribute to a work group or team in this job?

Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team

Solar Heating Installers and Technicians

Overview

Career

What Solar Heating Installers and Technicians Do

Other Job Titles Solar Heating Installers and Technicians May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Solar Heating Installers and Technicians

Overview

Career

What Solar Heating Installers and Technicians Do

Other Job Titles Solar Heating Installers and Technicians May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Education

Level of Education Attained by Solar Heating Installers and Technicians

Related Leaders