Job Training

In West Sacramento, youth from River City High’s Engineering and Science Academy put their skills to use putting together a real working solar electric system for a local couple over two days.  Sponsored by the City of West Sacramento, an entire class of high school students and their electronics teacher installed the system over the course of two days.  The Academy students were enrolled in DC/AC circuitry class making this even more of a valuable experience for them. 

For many kids across the Inland Empire, summer vacation is finally here! Tests, reading assignments, and district assessments are over and happy days reign again. For 32 at-risk high school students in Arroyo Valley High School's Cultivating Organic Recycling Environmentalists (CORE) Academy in San Bernardino, this summer is enhanced by their increased awareness about solar energy and how it can help them not only in summer’s hottest days, but in their future careers.

“I find that there is a general assumption out there that women don’t want to or can’t work in technically based or physically based positions. In my experience it is difficult to be the only woman and to have to constantly work against those assumptions. When I was installing I found myself working really hard to be the fastest installer on-site since I felt like I was representing women and didn’t want anyone to assume I couldn’t keep up. With that said, I have been fortunate to have many experiences with men across the industry who are very supportive of women working in solar. I am excited about the Women in Solar Initiative, since I think that the more women can be involved in positive learning environments like GRID, then the more likely they will be to pursue a technical or field based position.”