Job Training

Born and raised in the Central Valley, Michael Sanchez has been striving to find a way to support his family. Enrolling in a photovoltaic class with Proteus Inc., a local job training organization, Michael stated, “I was headed down the wrong road and then found Proteus, which inspired me to switch gears and do better for myself. Mr. Rick Gonzalez’s passion for teaching about photovoltaics helped solidify my interest working within the solar industry.”

My name is Karelia Tercero. This is a short story about how I became the first female solar technician for GRID Alternatives in Nicaragua.

Born and raised in Madera, Alan Castillo learned about GRID through the job training organization, Proteus Inc. Eager to learn, Alan volunteered with his classmates during the summer of 2015.

The success stories from the Solar Job Fair continue to trickle in as many of our volunteers are excited to share their good news about their new job.

On a dark and chilly Saturday morning 120 volunteers and community supporters devoted their time helping five families receive solar on their homes in Biola, California.

See how you can break into the solar job market by volunteering with GRID.

The counties that the Rosebud Sioux reservation encompasses are among the poorest in the nation, with unemployment rates as high as 83 percent, and as much as three quarters of the employed population still living under the poverty line. Winter is always the worst, with frigid temperatures, ice and snow limiting already-scarce work opportunities, and sending electricity bills skyrocketing. This year, though, a beacon of hope for some relief is taking shape in the form of a solar array on the home of tribal member Karen Spotted Tail.

The Solar Job Fair, held in partnership with PG&E and SunEdison, brought 16 local solar companies to the Manchester Center, seeking resumes and job-seeker information in order to fill an estimated 180 positions, including solar installers, marketers and sales representatives.

We partnered up with SEIA to host the first ever job fair at Solar Power International, one of the world's largest solar conferences and trade shows, to connect our volunteers to hiring employers. With more than 30 employers and 400 job seekers, the day was a huge success!

On a rainy evening in Sacramento, California, the waning rays from the sunset landed on a lively discussion taking place inside the warm and embracing, Shine Café. The topic of discussion was women on the rise – a conversation around encouraging the next generation of women leaders in the solar industry.