Bay Area Training

Get trained as a solar professional at no cost – no prior experience is required!

Installation Basics Training 200 (IBT 200) is a free, 200-hour, five-week solar installation training program designed to help you develop the skills solar industry employers are looking for.

Participants learn from interactive classroom instruction and hands-on lab activities and real-world solar installation projects. 

Our curriculum is vetted by industry employers and incorporates the latest solar technologies, so you can be confident you’re getting relevant, comprehensive training. You’ll graduate with advanced solar knowledge, hands-on installation experience, and valuable employer connections that will help you launch your solar career and be ready to work on day one. Plus, IBT 200 staff will support you from recruitment to placement, providing resume-building, soft skills training, and job search assistance to help you get a job and keep the job.

Thanks to funding from the Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) grant in partnership with the City of Richmond’s Richmond Rising project, we are excited to announce that IBT 200 is now operating in the Bay Area region! 

We will be recruiting Richmond residents for our second round of IBT 200 cohorts starting in early 2026. This is a paid cohort and eligible participants must be 18 or older and be residents of the City of Richmond. If spots fill up, priority will be given to residents in TCC areas: Iron Triangle, Santa Fe, and Coronado neighborhoods.

If you are interested, fill out the interest form to sign up today! We will be in touch with applicants once the next cohort's start date is announced.

Minimum Requirements to Enroll

• 18 years of age or older
• Basic comprehension of English, including the ability to follow basic oral instructions and understand safety guidelines. 
• Authorization to work in the U.S.
• Physical ability to perform activities related to solar installation work, including but not limited to: standing for long periods (sometimes on a sloped surface), bending, stooping, squatting, kneeling, twisting, working above the shoulders, working with manual and electric hand tools, repetitive motions, lifting and carrying up to 50lbs, working in direct sunlight, working with trip hazards, and working at heights*
• Availability for 5 weeks of full-time training (40 hours a week), with training hours ranging anywhere from 7 am to 4 pm.
• Highly motivated to work in the solar industry or related construction trades.

* Reasonable accommodations will be made for trainees with disabilities

For more detailed program information, click here.

For questions about IBT200 or other Bay Area training inquiries, contact the GRID Bay Area Workforce Development Team at (510)-241-3389 by email TrainingBA@gridalternatives.org