Solar and wind technician training in Illinois

6 solar and wind programs with results and funding that can make them free

4 schools offer these solar and wind programs, and Illinois has approved every one for workforce funding. Each shows how past students did; Illinois files no usable prices.

Solar photovoltaic installers assemble, set up and maintain rooftop and other systems that turn sunlight into energy. They typically need a high school diploma, some take courses at a technical school or community college, and most learn on the job for up to a year.¹

In Illinois, 2 of the 6 programs take students without a high school diploma, 2 ask for a diploma or equivalent and 2 ask for earlier courses first.

By kind, the 6 programs here are renewable energy certificate (5 programs) and wind turbine technician training (1 program).

See the 6 programs

How much does solar and wind technician training cost in Illinois?

Not reported

Illinois files no usable prices, so none can be shown.

In the typical program

Finished the program: Not reported; None of the 6 programs report it
Working 6 months later: Not reported; None of the 6 programs report it
Earned a year, estimated: Not reported; None of the 6 programs report it
Length: 32 to 38 weeks

Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Only programs approved for workforce funding are listed; other schools in Illinois may also offer solar and wind technician training. How these figures are made

Is there free solar and wind technician training in Illinois?

Yes, if you qualify. WIOA (public workforce funding) can pay for any program on this page, in full or in part, depending on local limits.²³⁴
Ask an American Job Center whether you qualify, or call 1-877-872-5627.⁵ Before funding training, the center goes through an assessment and a career plan with you.⁴
Or pay yourself. Usable prices are not reported for these programs.

Who qualifies, and other ways to pay: financial aid, grants and the GI Bill

All 6 solar and wind programs in Illinois approved for WIOA funding

6 programs

Renewable energy certificateIn personEducation and courses
Advanced Renewable Energy Technician Certificate
Illinois Valley Community College
Oglesby
Accredited school
Education and courses
Illinois Valley Community College, OglesbyRenewable energy certificate · Accredited schoolIn person · Education and courses
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourselfLeft out
Program website, Advanced Renewable Energy Technician Certificate at Illinois Valley Community College
More details about Advanced Renewable Energy Technician Certificate at Illinois Valley Community College
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
32 weeks, 40 hours a week
Cost of supplies
Not reported
Students counted
Not reported
Earned a year, estimated
Not reported
Price if you pay yourself
Left out
Program website, Advanced Renewable Energy Technician Certificate at Illinois Valley Community College
Renewable energy certificateIn personNo diploma needed
Renewable Energy Management
Lake Land College
Mattoon
Accredited school
No diploma needed
Lake Land College, MattoonRenewable energy certificate · Accredited schoolIn person · No diploma needed
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourselfLeft out
Program website, Renewable Energy Management at Lake Land College
More details about Renewable Energy Management at Lake Land College
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
32 weeks, 40 hours a week
Cost of supplies
Not reported
Students counted
Not reported
Earned a year, estimated
Not reported
Price if you pay yourself
Left out
Program website, Renewable Energy Management at Lake Land College
Renewable energy certificateIn personNo diploma needed
Renewable Energy Technician
Lake Land College
Mattoon
Accredited school
No diploma needed
Lake Land College, MattoonRenewable energy certificate · Accredited schoolIn person · No diploma needed
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourselfLeft out
Program website, Renewable Energy Technician at Lake Land College
More details about Renewable Energy Technician at Lake Land College
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
32 weeks, 40 hours a week
Cost of supplies
Not reported
Students counted
Not reported
Earned a year, estimated
Not reported
Price if you pay yourself
Left out
Program website, Renewable Energy Technician at Lake Land College
Renewable energy certificateIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent
Renewable Energy Technician Certificate
Illinois Valley Community College
Oglesby
Accredited school
High school diploma or equivalent
Illinois Valley Community College, OglesbyRenewable energy certificate · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourselfLeft out
Program website, Renewable Energy Technician Certificate at Illinois Valley Community College
More details about Renewable Energy Technician Certificate at Illinois Valley Community College
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
40 weeks, 40 hours a week
Cost of supplies
Not reported
Students counted
Not reported
Earned a year, estimated
Not reported
Price if you pay yourself
Left out
Program website, Renewable Energy Technician Certificate at Illinois Valley Community College
Renewable energy certificateIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent
Renewable Energy Technology Certificate
College Of DuPage
Glen Ellyn
Accredited school
High school diploma or equivalent
College Of DuPage, Glen EllynRenewable energy certificate · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourselfLeft out
Program website, Renewable Energy Technology Certificate at College Of DuPage
More details about Renewable Energy Technology Certificate at College Of DuPage
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
32 weeks, 40 hours a week
Cost of supplies
Not reported
Students counted
Not reported
Earned a year, estimated
Not reported
Price if you pay yourself
Left out
Program website, Renewable Energy Technology Certificate at College Of DuPage
Wind turbine technician trainingIn personEducation and courses
Wind Energy Technician
Danville Area Community College
Danville
Accredited school
Education and courses
Danville Area Community College, DanvilleWind turbine technician training · Accredited schoolIn person · Education and courses
Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
Price if you pay yourselfLeft out
School website, Wind Energy Technician at Danville Area Community College
More details about Wind Energy Technician at Danville Area Community College
Finished
Not reported
Working at 6 months
Not reported
Earned in a quarter
Not reported
Length
104 weeks, 40 hours a week
Cost of supplies
Not reported
Students counted
Not reported
Earned a year, estimated
Not reported
Price if you pay yourself
Left out
School website, Wind Energy Technician at Danville Area Community College

How to pay for solar and wind technician training in Illinois

WIOA funding can pay for solar and wind technician training in Illinois

Every program on this page is approved for it. Whether you qualify, how much your local area pays and how to apply are on our page Does WIOA pay for job training?

Financial aid and grants for solar and wind technician training

Most students can get federal student aid for college, career school or trade school. A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, usually doesn't have to be repaid. Ask the school whether its program qualifies.⁶⁷

GI Bill for solar and wind technician training

Veterans, service members and qualified dependents can use GI Bill benefits for non-college training programs.⁸

The program list does not show which programs accept these. Ask the school.

Solar and wind technician training in Ottawa, Charleston, Chicago and other Illinois cities

Choosing an area filters the program list above.

Other training in Illinois

How solar and wind technician training compares with the rest of skilled trades: Trade school programs in Illinois

Where the Illinois solar and wind program numbers come from

Which Illinois solar and wind programs are on this list?

These are the solar and wind programs Illinois approved for WIOA funding (public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), as reported to the US Department of Labor for program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Each state keeps its approved programs on an eligible training provider list (ETPL).⁹ The list here covers programs approved as of June 30, 2025. Schools that never applied for approval are missing, so this is a part of what Illinois offers.

How the prices and results of Illinois solar and wind programs are measured

Prices are tuition and required fees for someone paying without workforce funding, as the school reported them; check the current price with the school. Results describe students who left each program in recent years, so they are no guarantee, and the yearly earnings are the reported quarter times four, an estimate. A program without a "Trained with WIOA funding" line may still take WIOA students. Where a field was left empty or withheld, the page says "Not reported", and "Left out" where a figure was filed but failed one of our checks; nothing is estimated to fill a gap. Where the numbers come from explains each figure in full.

How reliable are the Illinois figures?

The US Department of Labor's own results site lists Illinois among the states with "known data quality concerns".¹⁰ We leave out the share who finished for Illinois: only a few programs report it, and those at a typical 11%. We leave out prices for Illinois: the state files a code in place of each price, so no price can be shown.

Sources for the facts about solar and wind technician training in Illinois

Show the 10 sourcesHide the sources

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