Jarell Stewart went into the military right out of high school because he wanted to see the world. “I was a pretty shy kid,” he says of himself. “I had a small group of friends, did okay in school, played football and ran track.”
Like many teenagers, Jarell was into playing video games and computers. He wanted a career in technology, but honestly, didn’t know where to start.
As Jarell approached his 18th birthday, his hometown of Passaic, New Jersey began to feel smaller and smaller. He became acutely aware he had never really traveled. Sure he’d been up and down the East Coast, but had never traveled outside of the country. The Navy was his chance to travel abroad and get a taste of life elsewhere.
Jarell’s time in the military did allow him to see the world outside of New Jersey. His 5-year service took him to places like Japan, Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, Korea, and Bahrain. And it was a big culture shock; “The McDonald's was a lot different,” he jokes. But even more than that, he noticed people were a lot nicer to each other and that made him really enjoy his time abroad.
However, his time in the military didn’t challenge Jarrell the way he thought it would. He knew people from boot camp who made careers out of the military, but that wasn’t the direction he wanted to take. “I had no desire to be alone, out in the middle of the sea,” he says. Plus, although he’d spent much of his adolescent life wanting to go into the tech field, the military prepared him for none of that. “I always wanted to work in technology,” Jarell reflected. “But while in the Navy I only did basic ship maintenance.”
Jarrell remained in San Diego after leaving the military in 2012. He went on to Southwestern College, majoring in automotive technology. He found part-time retail jobs, but began to feel discouraged. Then he was introduced to Sister Maria Muhammad and I Am My Brother’s Keeper, who mentored Jarell through the process of joining GRID Alternatives’ Troops to Solar program. The 2015 initiative, launched with support from Wells Fargo, seeks to connect U.S. military veterans and active service members across the country to well paying jobs in the solar industry by providing workforce training.
When Jarell first heard about Troops to Solar, he was immediately interested. He knew there would be a chance to get training in solar installation as well as other areas in the emergent solar industry. “I was interested in sustainability because I saw the opportunity to really make a career out of solar.”
Jarell started his 10-week journey with Troops to Solar in October and has participated in dozens of installations. On a typical installation day, he does everything from helping set up the equipment, maintaining safety standards, and even stretching to physically prepare for installing each panel. He’s dedicated to learning as much as possible about the solar industry so he can become well rounded in the field. The more he gets on tops of roofs the more he sees the potential in design, surveying, and other aspects of the industry.
More importantly, his time at GRID has really appealed to Jarell’s sense of humanity and desire to give back to those in need. “The chance to help others really makes me feel important,” he says. Plus, he’s seeing his own personal transformation. “Four months ago, if you told me I’d be up on the roofs, I wouldn’t have believed you.” Panel by panel, the “shy kid” from Jersey is learning how to shine.