Job Training

When Tommy Minor was growing up in Cleveland, Ohio, he didn’t hear much about renewable energy. Yet his winding path through various worlds, including community ties in downtown Cleveland, Bowling Green University, psychology studies at Morehouse College, hip hop act tour management, and work with a social justice non-profit led him to land in his current position with GRID Alternatives North Valley as the Workforce Development and Volunteer Coordinator.
Champagne, gifts, flowers, and party favors - that’s how most people picture a bridal shower. Instead, Leslie imagined hardhats, harnesses, ladders, and power tools. Leslie and her bridesmaids participated in GRID Alternatives Mid-Atlantic’s new Solar Champions program, raising money for GRID to install a solar system that will save a DC homeowner approximately $700 a year, and prevent about 100 tons of greenhouse gas emissions from entering the atmosphere.
This year, Darlin Velasco found herself in a situation that nearly every high school student experiences as graduation draws near: weighing numerous future career pathways and post-graduation options. Darlin knew she was interested in a career in engineering, but still felt apprehensive about her future.
In October 2015, Tracy Woodburn and his wife picked up their life and moved to the Inland Empire. “My wife was originally from Upland, CA so when we were thinking about our next adventure, we thought we should relocate to an area where we know people and have family nearby,” Tracy said. As he considered his next career move, the reality of Southern California air quality began to impact his job seeking decisions.