Since the devastating earthquake in Haiti in 2010, the number of photovoltaic (PV) installations have grown tremendously, delivering clean, sustainable power.

SELF has been one of the leaders in this movement, working to electrify hospitals, clinics, schools, micro-enterprise centers, and more. Other NGOs and commercial enterprises have also made measurable progress. What had been missing, however, was a vocational training program to produce highly skilled solar technicians.

Identifying this need, SELF created Haiti’s National Solar Training Center (NSTC) at Haiti Tec in Port-au-Prince. SELF developed the curriculum—a one-year program with shorter specialty courses—plus spin-off programs at other vocational schools.

With help from our partners at Haiti Tec, NSTC prepares students for jobs that will maintain their nation’s new PV infrastructure and further enhance the Haitian economy. There is a strong emphasis on hands-on learning, which prepares program graduates for immediate employment, without having to go through long apprenticeships or post-graduate, on-the-job training.

SELF continues to receive updates on the program, and graduates have found success across the PV industry. Two of the female students have formed their own solar company and are installing small systems around Port-au-Prince. One of the Haiti Tec instructors hired first-year graduates to work with him on PV projects at the Swiss Embassy. SELF also hired graduates to work on a micro-grid project in 2019.