About the GREEN Alumni Network

Welcome to the family

Once you have completed a training course with GREEN Solar Academy you will probably still have questions about your next steps. Wouldn’t it be great to have somebody in a similar situation to connect with, to exchange tips and information, and chat to?

You may be new to the PV Solar industry, but you certainly are not going it alone. So why reinvent the wheel over and over again? The solar market in South Africa is huge, so we can happily share knowledge. It was exactly for this purpose that we founded the GREEN alumni network.

We wanted to provide a platform for networking and valuable exchange between solar installers and the industry. That’s why you immediately become part of our GREEN alumni network, the biggest solar installer network in Africa. As an alumni, you now have access to some of the most seasoned role-players in the renewable energy industry, as well as wholesalers and suppliers, with the ability to exchange information, chat and connect.

alumni meeting cape town

Alumni Meeting with the City of Cape Town

Casual get-together with alumni in Durban

What does it mean to be an alumni?

An alumni is a person who has been part of or took part in a school, university, group or corporation. We liked this concept and picked it up for GREEN! So if you have participated in any of GREEN’s courses, that makes you a GREEN Alumni.

We chose our name after the network: GREEN stands for Global Renewable Energy and Efficiency Network. We ourselves have enjoyed successful joint ventures with members of our network over the past ten years, and in turn witnessed so many wonderful collaborations amongst our alumni, that we committed to going beyond simply being a provider of training: we are striving to create better business opportunities and growth for our industry. And following our training philosophy, we are doing this very hands-on in the form of our alumni network.

Benefits exclusive to GREEN Alumni Members include:

  • 10% discount on courses and exams
  • 15% discount on the purchase price of PV*SOL and PV*SOL premium software
  • Access to regular Alumni Meetings (online and in person)
  • Exchange and support from installers on regional WhatsApp groups and on Facebook

What happens during a GREEN Alumni Meeting?

We invite different solar industry experts and thought leaders from a variety of sectors to participate in an online panel discussion on a particular topic on a regular basis. All Alumni members are invited to tune in for the live broadcast, where they will be able to pose questions to the panel and take part in polls. No matter how long you’ve been in the industry, there is always valuable information to be gained from an alumni meeting.

Topics are tailored to meet the changing needs of our Alumni members and recent meetings have covered subjects such as:

  • Financing of PV Systems
  • What is most important when starting a solar career?
  • Jobs in the PV Industry: How to make it a match

While you are attending the 5-Day SuperSolarSchool course, you will have an end-of-day networking session for your small group on the Thursday, where a supplier may be invited to present new products, or an experienced installer may come along to discuss recent projects, best-practices or new developments in the solar industry.

It is vital to note that our moderated alumni meetings are in no way sales pitches, but instead serve to introduce you to the variety of products available to you, from as many different suppliers and installers as possible, giving you the tools you need to make informed and profitable decisions.

The panel from an online alumni meeting about getting a job in the PV industry

We create a valuable network for YOU

When you’re new to the industry, the information you need most is where to begin obtaining your components. You want a reputable supplier who knows their product well and can help you understand how best to utilise their product. GREEN always remains focused on these needs of its alumni to drive the content of any information that is shared. As a result, we involve manufacturers and wholesalers in our network. We want to ensure that all doors to a successful future in solar are opened for you and that new and experienced alumni can make use of all the valuable resources that we have access to.

You will find that your fellow alumni are open to collaboration and happy to share their experiences of where they got it right (and, of course, where they got it wrong), which products are reliable, which suppliers are reputable and so much more, so that you can build on their success!

How to engage:

  • As an alumni: contact us if you’re not yet part of any of our alumni Whatsapp Groups or if you don’t receive alumni meeting invitations
  • If you want to join: sign up for a GREEN training, that’s where your journey begins. This link takes you to the training dates.
  • Find suppliers: See our technology partners here.

Technology Partnership Opportunities

Are you a Manufacturer or Wholesaler of solar equipment? You can become a partner of our GREEN Alumni Network and benefit from the following opportunities:

  • Present your equipment at the GREEN training academies
  • Present topics at an alumni meeting
  • Participate in alumni meetings

For more information on how to become a technology partner, email antje@solar-training.org