The summer is winding down but things are still heating up in the Inland Empire.

The solar industry includes many jobs outside the scope of installation. GRID provides one of many educational resources to make a transition to a career in solar possible.

After I started my first year at the University of California, Riverside the question: “So Brandon, what are you going to do with that?” became a frequent topic of conversation at every family gathering, social outing, and networking opportunity. Telling someone that I was a Spanish major never impressed people the same way that Chemical Engineering or Economics did. I wanted to use my talents as a marketer and graphic designer and somehow incorporate my major into a communications related field.

A new house is a blank canvas for the countless memories, opportunities, and life events for a family. For new homeowners like David Cibrian, the house that he moved into last October is a place of limitless opportunities for his wife and young daughter.

My name is Chris Rosales and I am a fifth year finance major at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. In my five years as a finance student it was easy to get wrapped up in campus life and wait to develop any hands-on finance skills such as budgeting or forecasting. When my school schedule finally opened up, I began my search for an internship. My primary goal was to find an organization that would help me develop my finance and accounting skills.

ਅਲਹੁ ਗੈਬੁ ਸਗਲ ਘਟ ਭੀਤਰਿ ਹਿਰਦੈ ਲੇਹੁ ਬਿਚਾਰੀ ॥ ਆਸਾ (ਭ. ਕਬੀਰ) (੨੯) ੩:੧ - ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ : ਅੰਗ ੪੮੩ ਪੰ. ੭ (Gurmukhi, the script in which the Punjabi language is written). In English- Alahu Gaib Sagal Ghatt Bheethar Hiradhai Laehu Bichaaree || Raag Asa Bhagat Kabir, Guru Granth Sahib: Ang 483. Meaning: Allah (God) is hidden in every heart; reflect upon this in your mind.

People often ask me, “What’s the difference between sustainability studies and environmental science?” The simple answer is this: Sustainability is the study of the environment in which we care about people. At GRID Alternatives, they take a multifaceted approach to climate change; decreasing our collective carbon footprint, while simultaneously increasing diversity in the workforce, empowering individuals with minimal access to resources. My name is Mikaela Kato and as a Sustainability major at University of California, Riverside (UCR) the work GRID does is not only endlessly fascinating to me, but also so extremely relevant to what I study.

Imagine, at age 18, receiving an opportunity that will guide you to your ideal career. Although the journey to finding your career is always a challenge, one Inland Empire high school in San Bernardino is making those first steps a little easier.

Blaine Boyer is an educator at Rancho Vista High School, a continuation school in Temecula, who has been an active partner of GRID Alternatives since 2012.

Five years ago, several schools approached GRID IE with an idea to enhance their vocational academies through GRID’s unique hands-on solar training program.