Keepers of the Circle is offering an amazing opportunity for Indigenous women, Two-Spirit, and gender-diverse persons who are interested in a career in the clean energy sector by launching a free Energy Advisor Program! If you live in Northern Ontario, this free program is right for those with any level of education; plus, you can go from having no experience to getting a job within four months. The program also builds on Indigenous knowledge that will support and build confidence in all program participants.
Apply by January 31 and join the first cohort that starts Feb. 22 and goes until June 8 (click here)!
This community-centric and Indigenous-led program is designed to build knowledge and skills around the interconnection of energy systems and buildings.
But what exactly does that mean and what is an Energy Advisor? This exciting clean energy sector position is a great way to make income and take advantage of a fully subsidized training program, especially if you can’t afford to invest in education right now.
Check out the answers to these Frequently Asked Questions about what an Energy Advisor is and if it’s the right fit for you!
Question: Who is an Energy Advisor? What do they do?
Answer: As an Energy Advisor, you will help improve the energy efficiency of people’s homes by investigating the envelope, insulation, heating and cooling systems, and overall home energy use. This job brings a lot of versatility as every home is different with unique challenges. You also get to interact with different folks including builders, homeowners, architects, and renovation contractors.
This job comes with various benefits: you will own your own business, have a flexible schedule of your own choosing, have the opportunity to work in numerous geographical locations, and be the gateway to building healthier homes for your community. While rewarding, this career pathway is demanding and requires long-term commitment, determination, and passion.
Q: How much does an Energy Advisor make?
A: While the salary varies, the average salary is around $60,000.
Q: How do you find work as an Energy Advisor? How quickly can I find a job?
A: After you complete your training with Keepers of the Circle, our team will support you to connect with a service organization, complete your in-field training, and get hired as an Energy Advisor contractor or employee. This process is different from one person to the other and will depend on the candidate’s commitment, availability, and capacity.
For those who embark on this journey on their own, connecting to a service organization at the start is highly recommended since these institutions tend to provide in-house training, support candidates to receive their license, and bring them onboard as contractors.
Q: Is it expensive for people to hire an Energy Advisor? Will I struggle to find clients or jobs?
A: Currently, an energy audit costs around $600 per assessment. Clients need to complete one pre-upgrade and another post-upgrade assessment to receive a rebate for their audits and potential retrofits.
With the high interest in energy efficiency upgrades in homes and expanding financial and environmental incentives, there has been an exponential demand for Energy Advisors and their services around Canada. Part of your job will be to understand what grants and interest-free home loans are available for energy efficiency upgrades so that you can help your clients access these!
Q: Why is this program free?
A: Keepers of the Circle received funding for training of Indigenous Energy Advisors to build local capacity, and to improve access to these services in the rural, northern, and remote communities
Q: What do you mean by ‘clean energy sector’?
A: Anyone with a job that helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions, such as working with renewable energy sources, reducing energy consumption, or developing low-carbon technologies is working in the “clean energy sector”.
Q: What makes an Energy Advisor part of the clean energy sector?
A: As an Energy Advisor, you will perform energy audits to determine where, when, why, and how energy is being used. This is the first step to reducing energy consumption, and lower energy use results in less greenhouse gas emissions and pollution. An energy audit is also the first step towards investing in renewable energy solutions such as solar or wind.
Q: How can I sign up for the program?
A: You can start by filling out this application form (click here), or you can email us if you have any more questions at training@keepersofthecircle.com.
Q: Do I need any previous knowledge or education to become an Energy Advisor?
A: Previous experience with building science, energy efficiency or renewable energy is a plus but not required.
Q: How long is the program? What does the program schedule look like (length of session/how often do we meet)?
A: This is a full time, four-month program. Completing the program requires active involvement from 9am to 4pm with breaks and lunch included. You will need to pass two tests: the foundation level exam and the Energy Advisor exam. A pass for these exams requires independent studying, but we offer facilitated study sessions to ensure you stay on track!
CLICK HERE TO APPLY NOW
