The solar industry includes numerous jobs outside the scope of installation. GRID provides one of many educational resources to make a transition to a career in solar possible. Although making solar education available and accessible to all has always been a core component to GRID’s mission, providing different forms of solar education can be a challenge. Victor Rodarte, GRID IE’s PV (photovoltaics) design assistant, identified a particular industry need, qualified designers, and built a course to help people understand how solar systems are designed.
Victor, a GRID intern-turned-employee, recalls how difficult it was to find free solar education. After his seven-month class in PV design at East Los Angeles Skills Center, Victor looked for work that could utilize his new skills. He eventually found his way to GRID Alternatives where he inquired about PV design training. At GRID Greater Los Angeles, Victor became the first PV design student during his two-month internship. In this time, he gained a wealth of knowledge through hands-on design using Sketch Up, a 2-D and 3-D computer-modeling program. Victor was later hired to be part of the GRID IE team where he constantly heard requests for a PV design course.
Using his experience as a student and a teacher, Victor began the process of building a course. He recruited for his students through GRID’s volunteer database. Ultimately, twenty people committed to attending GRID IE’s pilot PV Design course during the fall 2017.
The course is divided into five, four-hour long sessions. The sixth and final class is a field trip to Sunspark, a solar panel manufacturing facility. The tour provides students with an understanding of how solar equipment is assembled. The goal of the training program is to teach students the process of solar design: pre-design – determining how many panels fit on a roof and how many are needed; PV design – taking a site survey and drawing it out to create a PV plan set; approval – getting the PV plans ready for city approval. Victor’s goal is to make PV design simple to understand so students continue to pursue their solar design education.
Victor's goal is for students to become confident in reading PV design plans and have the ability to troubleshoot any design issues. The most unique component of his course is utilizing Sketch-up, because it enables each student to work hands-on. One of the primary objectives of the course is allowing students to design at least one PV plan set on their own. “The purpose of GRID offering this course is to demystify PV design and provide a 'back door' entrance to design," Victor said. "I want to open a career path that is moore accessible, espsecially to non-traditional students."
This course enhances GRID trainees’ skill set, increasing their employment opportunities. Taken in combination with additional solar or construction certified classes, like the Professional NABCEP, Victor's class can enhance the chances of employment and prepares students to take on leadership roles.
Several GRID trainees have gained employment as a result of the class. One student, Maria, has accepted a position with an Escondido Solar contractor as a designer. Similarly, Stephen, a mechanical engineering graduate of UC Irvine struggled to start his dream career of PV design until he took this class. Soon after completing Victor’s course he was hired by one of the largest solar contractors in Southern California.
“It is gratifying to teach people what I know.” Victor declared. “It is especially heartwarming that I am providing something that I wanted that was not available in the past. Best of all, I get to witness everyone’s ‘ah-ha!’ moments and watch PV design become more accessible.”
In future classes Victor envisions creating intermediate and advanced PV design courses. The next PV design course begins this fall with five scheduled classes on the following dates: September 21 & 28, October 5, 12 and 19. No experience in the solar industry is needed to be a part of the course and it is open to the community. If you are interested, it is recommended that you attend at least one solar installation to become familiar with some of the equipment that is used.
If you are interested in the PV design course, please visit our website gridalternatives.org/ie or call our Work Force and Volunteer Department for more information at 951-471-7043.