Job Training

Christian Science Monitor - Bridging the skills gap, one solar panel at a time

It was June 29, and Dexter Rawlings had finished his first day of on-the-job training, installing solar panels on the rooftops of Washington. After hours under the unforgiving summer sun, he arrived home, exhausted. But an email was waiting for him with an encouraging message: The work he had done was projected to save local homeowners more than $11,000 in energy bills over the lifetime of the panels.

SunPower…Helping Build Careers In Solar

Students from across the Central Valley region got a crash course in solar energy last month thanks to our longtime partner, SunPower! SunPower Solar Academies were held in the communities of Lemoore, Cutler-Orosi and Bakersfield, giving students the opportunity to learn about the solar industry, explore career options, and develop team projects to present to their peers. GRID Central Valley staff also participated in the events, presenting to students about our Solar Futures program, designed to provide classroom and hands-on solar education to high schools.

Local Color Podcast - GRID Alternatives Mid-Atlantic
Enter GRID Alternatives; a non-profit that provides solar energy installations to low income families, free of charge! Listen to volunteers and employees of GRID explain why they chose to set up office in the Mid-Atlantic, the valuable experience volunteering has, and why they’re so charged up about solar energy!

Changing Careers? Solar is a Great Choice
Do you know someone who is considering changing careers? If so, one of the fastest growing segments of the Inland Empire economy is solar. According a study commissioned by Next 10 and reported by the Riverside Press Enterprise, state climate policies have driven $9 billion in direct economic benefits and supported 41,000 jobs in the Inland Empire over the last seven years. The demand continues for skilled workers as there are currently over 80 positions for solar related jobs open in the Inland Empire.

1,600 and Counting

GRID Alternatives Central Valley started with six team members and one truck and trailer in the first warehouse. Eight years later, 32 team members strong. Due to explosive growth, GRID Central Valley just finished moving into its fourth location. Since 2009, Tom Esqueda, GRID Executive Director has led his group on an adventure, from working on one install a week, to working on three installs per day. Since inception, GRID Central Valley has focused on helping the many communities it serves.