Join Denver's Growing Green Workforce with GRID Alternatives Colorado SOLAR TRAINING ACADEMY.
The solar industry is growing, with solar representing one out of every 100 jobs created in the US in 2017 according to the Solar Jobs Census. More than half of the jobs are in construction. But as an emerging industry, employers still report having difficulty finding people with skills, experience, and certifications. Since 2017, GRID Colorado has addressed these concerns directly in its Solar Training Academy. With a combination of classroom and hands-on training, this program will provide hard skills, soft skills, industry-recognized certifications, networking and job readiness, and eligibility for solar employment upon program completion.
The Solar Training Academy (STA) is a paid two-week solar installation training program designed to give you the skills you need to enter the solar industry. Trainees will gain installation experience through interactive classroom instruction, hands-on labs, and mock installations using real-world system components.
Benefits of the STA Program for Participants
- Gain OSHA 10 and CPR/First Aid certifications
- Learn about solar and renewable energy technologies
- Develop career and professional skills
- Stipend payment of $1280 (equal to $16/ hr ) over the two-week period
- Job opportunities on commercial projects like the City of Denver's RDCS Initiative (more info below)
- Meals and snacks during training
- Eligibility to receive child care assistance funds and transportation stipends
REMEMBER: No prior experience required. However you must be at least 18 years of age and a Denver metro area resident. We encourage individuals who are facing barriers to employment and are seeking living-wage jobs in solar or related construction industries to apply.
If you are not a Denver Resident please check out our Installation Basics Training Program (IBT).
Solar Installation Skills Taught in the STA
- CPR/First Aid
- Job site safety
- Electricity basics
- Proper installation of Racking, mounts, microinverters
- Hand held and proper power tool handling (tape measure, screwdrivers, wrench and torque-wrench, drill and impact driver, band saw, etc.)
- Conduit bending
- Reading site plans, electrical online diagrams, and array layouts
- Commissioning and O&M (Operations and Maintenance)
- Career & employment skills
- Soft-skill development, professional conduct, and personal reliability (Conflict Resolution, Confidence in your knowledge, Clear Communication, Teamwork, etc.)
Solar Training Academy Program Dates:
- March 6-17th, 2023
- TBD 2023
- TBD 2023
Want to apply?
Want to get involved? Fill out this online application to request a spot in the City and County of Denver funded Solar Training Academy! You must have access to get to and from our training facilities and the job site training that will be associated with your training to apply. If you need assistance with transportation please ask about our transportation stipend that is available to you. If accepted, we will notify trainees via email and/or phone call, as well as communicate which job site training you will be participating in.
Do You Have More Questions About the Program?
If you have any more questions about the program reach out to our Workforce Team:
Rosa Cleary, Workforce Coordinator
rcleary@gridalternatives.org | 303.968.1330
Thanks To Our Partners For Making This Program Possible!
