As many Gen Xers head toward retirement and millennials begin to take their places in the workforce, demographics in the manufacturing and service industries are changing. The solar industry is seeing the brunt of these changes. Current statistics show that 47% of the workers in the solar industry are 20-30 years old, while 35% are 30-40 and 17% are over 40.
What this means is as some companies continue to improve their operations with advanced training techniques and software applications, the newer generation of workers should make it easier to adapt to these changes. However, the biggest challenge is getting across the initial threshold.
Solar Industry Age Shift
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of photovoltaic (PV) panel installers will grow 50.5% from 2019 to 2029, remarkably faster than the 3.7% projected growth for all other occupations. The leading cause for solar power job growth is solar and wind technology, as they have become a viable alternative to more traditional forms of energy like coal and natural gas.
Figures like these are causing solar managers across the industry to look at how their companies should recruit from an emerging talent pool. Some companies are beginning to incorporate new training processes surrounding knowledge retention and maximum work efficiencies, specifically in scheduling, estimating, bidding and customer service capacities.
More importantly, managers know that some of the most skilled and experienced solar workers have a wealth of unwritten knowledge about efficient practices, procedures and methods that work best. Without a formal system to transfer this knowledge to the incoming workers, this valuable information could disappear as the next generation takes over.
That’s where Dataforma comes into play.
Solar Industry Jobs and Technology
Formalizing workflows and processes using digital workforce management platforms is a helpful technique for easing these transitions. Dataforma builds apps and programs around the skills and practices of the best workers to make training more effective. By using digital tools instead of paper checklists, company leaders know their entire team continuously uses the most efficient methods.
Company owners and field technicians benefit from these improvements because they bring the convenience of the office to the job site, eliminating hours of unnecessary travel time and paperwork. Here are some of Dataforma’s integrated software features:
- Drag and drop scheduling
- Mobile CRM tools
- Custom solar panel inspection reports
- Mobile notification for various alerts
- Paperless service departments
- GPS tracking
- Lead management
Dataforma also provides workers with unlimited access to a versatile dashboard, a cloud-based library, correspondence history and a solar sales tracker for bid organization. All these features are accessible from the convenience of a mobile device.
How Dataforma Can Help You
Dataforma’s management solution software puts the information and tools solar contractors need at your fingertips, whether you’re completing work orders in the field or the office. Using these features helps you work more efficiently and effectively. No matter where your work takes you, every team member has access to the same valuable capabilities.
For more information about how Dataforma can help your business, call us at 866-764-9992 or request a free demo today.
