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<div class="moz-cite-prefix"><br>
<br>
May I please add....<br>
<br>
<br>
1) Must know the difference between AC and DC.<br>
<br>
2) Must be able to identify what each prong is when shown an AC
plug.<br>
<br>
boB<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
On 4/28/2015 6:35 PM, Dan Fink wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote
cite="mid:CAF+3LneE9YHSwHvwj7XbbW3PZsfWRAXh3U-tJn-pc8v7ZM3vew@mail.gmail.com"
type="cite">
<div dir="ltr">Esteemed Wrenches:
<div><br>
</div>
<div>I teach hands-on <i>Intro to PV</i> and<i> Intro to Solar
Therma</i>l at a 2-year technical college in Denver. Some of
my students are on track to be field installers or designers
(and will take more advanced classes next term), while others
are focusing more on green building, LEED, sustainability etc.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div><b>To pass my classes, at the end of the term they need to:</b></div>
<div>
<ul>
<li>Be familiar with the basic terminology of each
technology<br>
</li>
<li>Know how to read a system diagram and understand how the
system works<br>
</li>
<li>Look at a real system in the field and draw a system
diagram of it, and know the function of each component<br>
</li>
<li>Know how to correctly use basic instruments (multimeter,
solar pathfinder etc) to take measurements<br>
</li>
<li>Know how to safely enable and disable a system to safely
troubleshoot problems<br>
</li>
<li>Be able to look up and understand manufacturer's
specifications and installation manuals online (example -
torque specs)<br>
</li>
<li>Know all safety and PPE requirements for any field task<br>
</li>
<li>Have basic knowledge of safe and effective use of basic
installation tools<br>
</li>
<li>Assemble their own basic tool kit so they are prepared
for their first internship/apprenticeship etc</li>
<li>Be able to safely perform a simple task on their first
job, for example "Test and record the Voc and Isc of each
PV module in this array, each string and the whole array."
or "Test, record, and maintain each battery in this bank"
and (<b>hopefully</b>) "The system isn't charging the
battery bank/ pumps are not circulating the HTF -- see if
you can find out what's wrong."<br>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>I am trying my best to educate, but it always depends on
the student's dedication, goals and dreams. And if one of my
students ever uses me as a reference to you, I promise you an
honest assessment. And if they can't do these things in an
advanced class next term, I'll certainly hear about it from
the other professors!</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div class="gmail_extra"><br clear="all">
<div>
<div class="gmail_signature">
<div dir="ltr">Dan Fink
<div>Buckville Energy</div>
<div>IREC Certified Instructor™ for: </div>
<div>~ PV Installation Professional</div>
<div>~ Small Wind Installer</div>
<div>NABCEP / IREC / ISPQ Accredited Continuing
Education Providers™<br>
970.672.4342<br>
<br>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<br>
<div class="gmail_quote">On Tue, Apr 28, 2015 at 6:45 PM, Ray
Walters <span dir="ltr"><<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:ray@solarray.com" target="_blank">ray@solarray.com</a>></span>
wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0
.8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#000000"> Hi Bob;<br>
<br>
That's an excellent point. I'm trying to figure out what
is a fair arrangement: 4 years of training is worth
quite a sum of money vs. 4 years of labor in the off
grid mines. <br>
Straight up $10/ hr and I'll train them for as long as
they can be trained with raises as they reach milestones
like: they can go on a troubleshooting visit on their
own.<br>
I think some off grid living experience is a
prerequisite as mentioned before, also they've got to be
able to deal with basic math and electrical equations.<br>
Any other prerequisites before I create an unobtainable
person?<span class=""><br>
<pre cols="72">R.Ray Walters
CTO, Solarray, Inc
Nabcep Certified PV Installer,
Licensed Master Electrician
Solar Design Engineer
<a moz-do-not-send="true" href="tel:303%20505-8760" value="+13035058760" target="_blank">303 505-8760</a></pre>
</span>
<div>
<div class="h5">
<div>On 4/28/2015 2:03 PM, Bob-O Schultze wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite">An apprenticeship is the
original 4 year degree. If the trainers are good,
high quality workpersons, and the apprentice WANTS
to learn, the apprentice will learn the trade.
It's exactly the same in a college situation
except that the newly minted journeyman, unlike a
college graduate, will actually HAVE a trade and
experience.
<div><br>
<div>
<div>On Apr 17, 2015, at 5:41 PM, Chris Mason
wrote:</div>
<br>
<p dir="ltr">The US currently puts little
value on craft versus academia, now
everyone smart is expected to go to
college. Consequently there is a stigma on
vocational education. When I did my
electrical apprenticeship in Ireland, we did
two years of college, one year of training
school and one year in the field. There were
8, 000 applicants for a handful of
positions. <br>
I had a third year electrical apprentice
from the US work for me on a three month
project we took on. He was absolutely
unqualified and could not answer the most
basic questions on electrical theory. <br>
I recommend you detail the educational
opportunities and fund adequate training
enabling the apprentice to acheive the
target qualification.</p>
<div class="gmail_quote">On Apr 17, 2015 4:53
PM, "Ray Walters" <<a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:ray@solarray.com"
target="_blank">ray@solarray.com</a>>
wrote:<br type="attribution">
<blockquote class="gmail_quote"
style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px
#ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#000000"> Hi
All;<br>
<br>
Thanks for the replies so far; I
apologize for my misunderstood attempt
at humor in my initial post. I agree
with Chris here, I hire contract labor
all the time, but an apprenticeship is
different. Laborers top out pretty
quickly and just aren't capable of
learning the nuances of off grid
electric design. Much of the time
that's all that's needed: pick this up
and take it over there,dig here, etc.
I'm not looking for labor, as much as
someone who could some day take over the
business ( I'm 50 now) and go out and
troubleshoot systems on their own. I
consider off grid solar to be more of a
craft than mere construction
contracting.<br>
An apprenticeship implies a much longer
term arrangement where they may be paid
less, but can expect training to the
point of getting their electrical
license and making a career out of it.
I'm having a much harder time finding
the sort of person that wants to make
that sort of commitment both in time and
in learning. Folks that have the smarts
and ambition necessary are already busy.<br>
<br>
Thanks,<br>
<pre cols="72">R.Ray Walters
CTO, Solarray, Inc
Nabcep Certified PV Installer,
Licensed Master Electrician
Solar Design Engineer
<a moz-do-not-send="true" href="tel:303%20505-8760" value="+13035058760" target="_blank">303 505-8760</a></pre>
<div>On 4/17/2015 6:22 AM, Chris Mason
wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite">
<div dir="ltr">I'm not sure how the
term is used in America, but
generally "apprentice" does not mean
cheap labour. An apprentice program
should be an education path to a
qualification with state recognized
standards, such as Electrician or
Plumber. if you just want
inexpensive labour, that's not an
apprentice, that's a helper,
labourer, intern. As someone who
started life as an electrical
apprentice, I object to seeing
apprenticeships shortchanging the
applicants.</div>
<div class="gmail_extra"><br>
<div class="gmail_quote">On Thu, Apr
16, 2015 at 7:27 PM, Dana <span
dir="ltr"><<a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:dana@solarwork.com"
target="_blank">dana@solarwork.com</a>></span>
wrote:<br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote"
style="margin:0 0 0
.8ex;border-left:1px #ccc
solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div bgcolor="white" link="blue"
vlink="purple" lang="EN-US">
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>I
interview &
definitely check
references including:
look at a tape measure
and tell me what those
little marks are between
0 & 1”, & I look
in their truck or car. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>If
it’s clean they may take
care of your vehicle
then same and if it’s a
mess that’s what you can
expect them to do to
your truck. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>Are
they smokers? Is that OK
in your truck?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>Can
they work without
checking their cell
phone every time it goes
Ding or rings?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>Do
they have their own
tools and do they know
how to operate tools
like your hydraulic draw
punch or wire tugger
without F%$ing it up or
hurting themselves?</span></p>
<div><span> </span><br>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>Does
anyone do a background
check on new hires?</span></p>
<div><span> </span><br>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>----------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>Dana
Orzel </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>Great
Solar Works, Inc -
NABCEP # 051112-136</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>E
- <a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:dana@solarwork.com" target="_blank">dana@solarwork.com</a>
- Web - <a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://solarwork.com/" target="_blank">solarwork.com</a> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>O
- <a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="tel:970.626.5253" value="+19706265253" target="_blank">970.626.5253</a>
C - <a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="tel:208.721.7003" value="+12087217003" target="_blank">208.721.7003</a></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span>"Responsible
Technologies for
Responsible People
since 1988" </span><span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="background:white"><b><span
style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:Webdings;color:green">P</span></b><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:navy">
</span><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:green">Please
consider the
environment before
printing this email.</span><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif""></span></p>
<div><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black"> </span><br>
</div>
</div>
<div><span> </span><br>
</div>
<div>
<div
style="border:none;border-top:solid
#b5c4df
1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in
0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:windowtext">From:</span></b><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";color:windowtext">
RE-wrenches [mailto:<a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org"
target="_blank">re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>]
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Ray
Walters<br>
<b>Sent:</b>
Thursday, April 16,
2015 4:50 PM<br>
<b>To:</b>
RE-wrenches<br>
<b>Subject:</b>
[RE-wrenches]
Apprentice</span></p>
</div>
</div>
<div> <br>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Hi
Folks;<br>
<br>
I am considering hiring an
apprentice, and I wanted
to know if any else has
tried this, and what
advice and experience
everyone had to offer.<br>
Also what would be the
best way to advertise:
Craig's List? <i><br>
<br>
Wanted passionate techy
soul to share warm fires
and cold brews with,
watch beautiful sunsets
over off grid arrays in
remote locations,
sometimes carry leaky
hazardous materials</i>.....<br>
mmmm. Obviously I need
some help.<br>
<br>
Thanks in Advance,<br>
<br>
</p>
<pre>-- </pre>
<pre>R.Ray Walters</pre>
<pre>CTO, Solarray, Inc</pre>
<pre>Nabcep Certified PV Installer, </pre>
<pre>Licensed Master Electrician</pre>
<pre>Solar Design Engineer</pre>
<pre><a moz-do-not-send="true" href="tel:303%20505-8760" value="+13035058760" target="_blank">303 505-8760</a></pre>
</div>
</div>
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<br>
<br clear="all">
<div><br>
</div>
-- <br>
<div>
<div dir="ltr">Chris Mason
<div>
<div
style="color:rgb(136,136,136)"><span
style="font-size:13px">NABCEP
Certified Solar PV
Installer™</span></div>
<div
style="color:rgb(136,136,136)"><span
style="color:rgb(34,34,34)">Solar Design Engineer</span></div>
<div
style="color:rgb(136,136,136)"><span
style="font-size:13px">Generac
Generators Industrial
technician</span></div>
</div>
<div
style="color:rgb(136,136,136)"><span
style="font-size:13px"><br>
</span></div>
<div><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.cometenergysystems.com/"
target="_blank">www.cometsolar.com</a></div>
<div><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="tel:264.235.5670"
value="+12642355670"
target="_blank">264.235.5670</a></div>
<div><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="tel:869.662.5670"
value="+18696625670"
target="_blank">869.662.5670</a></div>
<div>Skype: netconcepts</div>
</div>
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<br>
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<br>
</blockquote>
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