Job Training

Our armed forces hails brave men and women who not only serve our country, but also provides troops with training in various fields. GRID IE Construction Intern Jesse Mota moved through the ranks from Private to Master Gunnery Sergeant while serving in the United States Marines before landing at GRID Alternatives. “I was stationed in Panama as an Embassy Guardian. My duties included acting as a ‘changing of the guards’ to gain confidence and develop trust with the locals,” Jesse reflected. While in the Marines, Jesse developed a broad range of skill sets that set the stage for his career in the solar industry, including his experience as a combat engineer. He was honorably discharged after 25 faithful years of service to the American people.

Ahmed Habib has always been extremely interested in renewable energy, installation, and design. He decided to pursue a degree in electrical engineering at Northern Arizona University and eventually graduated in 2013. Ahmed recently designed a $53,000 interactive solar PV system for an elementary school and wanted to further expand on these projects. Wanting to also advance in the solar industry, Ahmed decided to volunteer for GRID in order to obtain more skills and experience. “I have always had an interest in solar and wanted to help people,” he states, “GRID was the perfect opportunity to get some training.”

We recognized some special award recipients who were onhand: Juan Campos is our Student of the Year. Isaiah Alvarez is our Trainee of the Year.

My favorite moments of this year were meeting the fall Solar Works DC cohort on their first day in September, and then seeing them all graduate the program 12 weeks later.

Ayaz was laid off in December 2016. While on the job hunt, his father suggested Ayaz volunteer for GRID Alternatives to strengthen his resume.

See our stand-out news articles that highlighted many of our accomplishments in 2017!

Now, we're building the foundation for a strong 2018 by announcing that our end-of-year fundraising campaign focuses on a pair of internships that will offer the potential for dramatic change to two returning citizens like David.

GRID Alternatives provides career exploration and solar education to K-14 students through its Solar Futures program. The curriculum provided through Solar Futures inspires young students to become the next generation of solar leaders. It also offers the opportunity to get hands-on experience in a field that is growing by 20 percent each year. Over 600 students have already been trained through this program, and approximately 65 solar projects have been built for Inland Empire’s disadvantaged communities as a result of these students efforts.

Roger Stark was born and raised in Ohio. At 18 years old and fed up with harsh Ohio winters, Roger trekked across the nation, finding himself in sunny San Diego where he was recruited as a Marine. He served during the Vietnam era for three years. He was filled with excitement when he first enlisted, learning quickly what serving this country means – leadership, teamwork, reliability and community service.