When Leonard Hampton came to GRID Alternatives, he was looking for more than a job. He was looking for a chance to reinvent himself. After years of facing barriers to opportunity, Leonard wanted a new direction. He had experience in construction and an interest in solar, but finding an accessible path into the industry wasn’t easy. A traditional trade program proved expensive, requiring students to purchase their own tools and books, and the training wasn’t focused on the solar career Leonard wanted to pursue.
Then he found GRID Alternatives. At GRID, Leonard found hands-on training, equipment, safety gear, certifications, wraparound support, and—most importantly—a community willing to invest in his potential. That opportunity eventually led him to a SolarCorps Fellowship.
For Leonard, the fellowship became much more than professional development. “I was in a shell, and SolarCorps brought me out of my shell,” he said. “I was able to spread my wings.” Through SolarCorps, Leonard built relationships with fellows from different backgrounds, participated in professional development workshops, met clean energy leaders, and discovered new possibilities for his career. He also watched his fellow SolarCorps members grow alongside him, creating relationships he says he will carry for the rest of his life. The experience changed the way Leonard saw himself.
“I’m a totally different person,” he said. “I have more direction. I have more confidence in myself. I have a sense of purpose.” AmeriCorps SolarCorps
That transformation didn’t stop with Leonard. He saw it ripple outward into his family and community. Today, Leonard is a Workforce Development Assistant Trainer at GRID, helping trainees build the same skills and confidence that helped change the trajectory of his own life. He supports participants in the classroom, lab, and field, teaching solar installation, electrical wiring, safety, and fall protection. He has earned more than a dozen certifications and continues working toward credentials that will allow him to grow as an instructor. His work has already taken him places he once never imagined. Leonard traveled to Bishop, California, where he helped build mock roofs and electrical training stations for a new workforce training center serving a Tribal community. SolarCorps also gave Leonard something seemingly simple but deeply meaningful: his first ever business trip. But his favorite part of the work happens closer to home.
Every day, Leonard gets to watch new trainees arrive at GRID. He sees them learn new skills, earn certifications, build confidence, and graduate ready for what comes next. He recognizes that transformation because he lived it himself. “My favorite part of my role is making a positive impact on trainees,” Leonard said. “They’re given a chance that I was given.” Now, he’s finding ways to turn the opportunities he received into opportunities for others. Now, his direction is clear. He shared, “I just want to continue to make a positive impact on my community, a positive impact on myself, be the best version of myself that I can be and continue to develop my career.”
And every time a trainee walks through GRID’s doors looking for their own new beginning, Leonard gets another chance to do exactly that.
