Job Training

GRID IE volunteers come from all walks of life.

Once again, a partnership between GRID Alternatives and a local employment training center has paid off for someone who wanted to join the ranks of the solar industry. Jon Smith, who attended Cabrillo College of Aptos, has been hired as a solar installer by REC Solar.

When Denise Alvarez signed up for the Green Building Construction program at the Center for Employment Training, she never imagined she’d be working on the roof with the CEO of SunPower. But last Friday, she joined GRID and a team of SunPower employees and executives...

When Javier Pinos first came to GRID Alternatives last spring to volunteer he was studying Level 2 Photovaltaics at the East Los Angeles Skills Center. He was eager to work with GRID on an actual solar electric installation for a local low-income family to complement his academic learning and gain the hands-on experience that would prepare him for employment.

Thank you SMUD for your participation!

Hector Villegas was unemployed and although he had a desire to work in the green energy field, he lacked the necessary skills to land a job. That all changed when he became a volunteer with GRID Alternatives and gained the knowledge and experience he needed to land his dream job.

"Living in Japan, you see how everything they do is based on saving something, whether it's energy, water or other resources," said Norm Graham. "That's the life they live. Every other house in Japan had solar panels. I thought "why can't we have that here in America?"

Tom King had a decent job in produce distribution but he didn’t wake up every day feeling passionate about going to work. So he began to look for something else to do.

A father of five, Eduardo Huerta was out of work for 13 months due to a car accident. Today he's aiming for a new career in solar.