My name is Caroline Magana, a fourth year Sustainability Studies major at the University of California, Riverside. As a Sustainability major, one of the requirements is we must complete an internship. The school connects us with organizations they feel we would gain the most success. I feel lucky that I was placed with GRID Alternatives for my ten-week internship because it was so similar to the type of work experience I imagined in my career. I actually came into my internship knowing that I wanted to work in a field related to sustainability, but felt unsure about what kind of position to pursue. Because of my experience at GRID, I learned that I really enjoyed working in the marketing department and would be open to find a similar position for myself when searching for work.
I enjoy the fact that the people employed at GRID are so proud of their work and eager to help the community by connecting them with solar. Families who receive no-cost solar from GRID always seem so grateful for the help they receive. My experience at GRID Alternatives has inspired me to look into working in the solar industry. I hope that my future workplace has people filled with the same type of positivity and helpfulness as the GRID team. The regional director gave me ideas on how to promote my experience when searching for a position and advised me to create a portfolio.
The marketing manager was flexible with my work and school schedule, plus he was excellent at giving advice. He continuously showed concern for the fact that I had many interests and he wanted to make sure that he could provide as much work experience as possible related to my interests. He let me know that my internship work was of value to him and the GRID organization while always complimenting good work.
I feel strongly that I have learned new skills and have strengthened others that were preexisting. I am now more confident working with spreadsheets. I wanted to improve my administrative skills and become more confident in working with a team. I have seen improvement in these areas. I also wanted to work at an installation, which I had the opportunity of doing. I plan on volunteering again at an install at some point when I have more time.
I wasn’t expecting to be a part of a staff meeting or be on an interview panel, but was able to interact with staff in both. I found it interesting to see how the Inland Empire office interacts with other GRID regions and their headquarters in Oakland. I feel fortunate the GRID team allowed me to participate in an interview as my own interview for the internship was very different from the presentation style interview I attended. Participating allowed me to understand multiple interview formats and discuss strengths of individual candidates.
My favorite memory from this internship was my first day, helping with a Solar Futures event. High school students were learning about solar, gaining hands-on experience by learning how to install solar panels on their own. The students were so excited to learn more about the solar field and took the opportunity to ask questions about getting a position with GRID. I really enjoyed seeing younger students so excited about their future while genuinely concerned about figuring out how to achieve their goals.
If you are seeking an internship or would like to build practical skills in the solar industry, GRID Alternatives is your solution. You will have an opportunity to develop and expand your knowledge and skills that can lead to a clean energy job. If you would like more information about internships or other volunteer opportunities, you can reach our workforce development department by calling 951.272.4743 or visiting gridalternatives.org/ie.