The solar industry is soaring, and as the demand for solar increases, so does the demand for skilled employees. This is one of the reasons GRID highly values the hands on experience and training we provide to our volunteers and job trainees to support the solar workforce as it grows.
One of our latest training success stories took place in San Jose with a local job training organization, Center for Employment Training (CET). In late February, a group of 10 CET students currently enrolled in a Green Building Construction class were introduced to solar PV through GRID, and given the opportunity to install a 3.3 kW system for a local low income homeowner. Utilizing the skills and knowledge gained at CET, the students quickly picked up the concepts and tasks of solar PV taught by GRID Construction staff on site and maximized the experience by working hard and staying focused until the very last minute of the install. This experience not only proved beneficial for the motivated students involved, it also helped a San Jose homeowner reduce their electricity bills and carbon footprint.
At GRID, we believe that hands on solar installation experience provides opportunity to those who are interested and motivated to pursue a career in the industry. This was reinforced for us by the CET students who said in a follow up thank you letter:
“Our experience with GRID has opened the door and given us confidence to pursue a career in the field. We look forward to volunteering with you again in the near future!”
Along with hands on installation experience, the students will also participate in a workshop that explores career pathways in solar, how to utilize their GRID experience to help them get a job, and upcoming opportunities to further their solar education with GRID.
This install and training package for CET was sponsored and made possible by The 11th Hour Project, a program of The Schmidt Family Foundation. We are incredibly thankful for their support, and believe that these learning opportunities will help our job seeking volunteers land their solar dream jobs while supporting the industry’s growing demand for talented new solar employees!
Visit the Flickr album here to see more great photos from the installation.