How much money solar engineers and installers earn in South Africa
New data from the jobs portal CareerJunction shows that the number of jobs in the green energy sector has increased by more than 50%, on average, every year since 2019 – highlighting what kind of green energy roles are in demand in the local job market.
There has been a massive boom in green energy products in South Africa, especially solar energy. Solar has become the most popular source of relief for South Africans as load shedding continues to throttle economic activity and disrupt general day-to-day life in the country.
R12 billion worth of solar panels have been imported by South Africans so far in 2023. Since 2010, South Africa has imported R35 billion worth of solar panels.
Imports were initially supported by government investment into renewables but are now primarily supported by private investment – including households and businesses.
As a result, more and more “green jobs” are being advertised, and certain professions are morphing and adapting to the needs of the renewable energy market.
According to CareerJunction, over the last three years, demand for green energy professionals has increased by over 200% – and since 2021, vacancies for green energy professionals have doubled, with 2023 having seen the highest number of vacancies for green energy jobs so far.
In-demand Jobs
With the increase in green energy jobs, CareerJunction took the initiative to investigate which sectors green energy jobs are typically represented and what kind of green energy roles are in demand in the local job market.
The bulk of green energy jobs fall under Engineering. Jobs in the green energy engineering field can vary from electrical and mechanical engineering to chemical engineering. Typical job roles which are increasingly in demand are:
- Design Engineer (Solar);
- Solar Electrical Engineer;
- Technical Engineer – Renewable Energy;
- Technical Solar Engineer;
- Estimations Engineer – Renewable Energy; and
- Technical Support Specialist (Solar).
Another sector with a significant increase in green energy roles is the Building and construction sector, where ‘Solar Installation Electricians’ and ‘Solar Electricians’ are highest in demand. Within the Business and management sector, green energy jobs have made an appearance too.
Typical job roles are:
- Business Developer – Green Energy;
- Solar Engineer & Technical Manager;
- Commercial Solar Sales Manager; and
- Engineering Manager (Solar).
As in most sectors, Sales professionals are crucial for business to thrive. As a result, the need for sales staff is growing, and vacancies for the following are becoming more prominent in the recruitment market:
- Technical Sales Executive – Renewable Energy;
- Solar Sales Representative; and
- External Sales Engineer (Solar).
What it pays
Looking at the various typical job roles within the green energy sector, it becomes clear that solar energy has become very popular and is creating new jobs and professional specialisations.
When comparing salaries of green energy jobs to the equivalent standard jobs, no significant differences are evident, with the exception of slightly higher salaries for green energy jobs in sales.
Some market-related salaries applicants can expect in the field of solar energy, as outlined by CareerJunction, include:
- Solar Design Engineer – R32,183 to R42,708 per month.
- Solar Electrician – R21,633 to R25,426 per month.
- Solar Sales Manager – R38,333 to R51,389 per month.
- Solar Sales Representative – R24,583 to R30,733 per month.
The infographic compares these salary expectations to their standard counterparts.
Read: These are the most in-demand jobs in South Africa right now
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