Imagine a world where anyone, from a 10-year-old child to a seasoned professional, can access top-notch training in clean energy technologies like solar, batteries, and energy efficiency – all from the comfort of their living room. That's the vision behind Heatspring, an online learning platform co-founded by Brian Hayden back in 2007. In this episode of the Clean Power Hour, Tim Montague interviews Brian Hayden, the co-founder and Managing Partner of Heatspring, an online learning platform for sustainability and the built environment.
Heatspring has become an invaluable resource for clean energy professionals, companies, and the general public interested in learning about solar, batteries, energy efficiency, and related fields. The platform offers over 260 courses, with two-thirds available for free, covering a wide range of topics taught by industry experts.
In the episode, Brian discusses the importance of partnerships and collaborations, like their recent initiative with Revision Energy to open-source apprenticeship program content. He also emphasizes the role of certifications and credentials in the industry's growth and Heatspring's focus on facilitating team-based learning for companies.
Heatspring aims to break down barriers and provide better access to the best information and training, enabling more people to join and succeed in the clean energy workforce, which is crucial for accelerating the energy transition.
Key Takeaways
Companies can set up free team accounts and assign courses to employees for onboarding and ongoing training.
Managers can track employee progress, provide accountability, and curate relevant course paths.
Heatspring emphasizes the importance of certifications/credentials like NABCEP for career growth.
Partnerships with companies like Revision Energy to open-source apprenticeship program content.
Focus on facilitating team-based learning and continuous workforce development.
Integration with larger companies' HR systems and learning management systems.
Approachable platform from a small company aiming to make training more sustainable and accessible.
Opportunity for clean energy professionals to become instructors and share knowledge.
Vital for upskilling workforce to meet projected need for 1 million new electricians for the energy transition.
Social Media Handles
https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianfhayden/
http://www.heatspring.com/
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The Clean Power Hour is brought to you by CPS America, maker of North America’s number one 3-phase string inverter, with over 6GW shipped in the US. With a focus on commercial and utility-scale solar and energy storage, the company partners with customers to provide unparalleled performance and service. The CPS America product lineup includes 3-phase string inverters from 25kW to 275kW, exceptional data communication and controls, and energy storage solutions designed for seamless integration with CPS America systems. CPS America has offices in California, New Jersey, and Texas. Learn more at https://www.chintpowersystems.com/
0:00 - Introduction
2:41 - How Brian started Heatspring
5:57 - When NABCEP certification became critical
8:01 - The growth of solar and Heatspring’s evolution
14:38 - The role of online learning
17:44 - Getting teams to learn together
23:22 - Encouraging people to pursue training
27:25 - Preparing the workforce for the energy transition
30:26 - Partnerships to advance training
33:29 - Who are Heatspring's core customers?
35:33 - Training needs of larger vs mid-sized companies
36:51 Conclusi
