“GRID helped save my life.” These were the exact words from a GRID client and new homeowner, who faced paying a mortgage and high electric bills — leaving her stressed and financially depleted. This is a situation that I know oh so well.
After being laid off, Batrina went to the Department of Employment Services looking for a job. It was there she learned about Solar Works DC, and applied for the program because of her interest in sustainability and living off grid.
“I had a pizza delivery job, I wasn’t really making money, I didn’t know what I wanted to do with myself.” At 21 years-old, DC native Reginald “Reggie” Chandler was facing an uncertain future before he became a GRID Alternatives SolarCorps Fellow.
Drew found out about Solar Works DC through Indeed, and decided to apply for the job training program to develop skills for a career, and was happy he was able to jump into something new and different.
Nijah first found out that she like math and science in middle school. “There’s just something about math,” she says, “it’s complicated and easy at the same time.”
A career in solar doesn’t require any formal degrees to earn a livable wage. Of our Fall cohort that graduated in December, fifty percent already have jobs in a solar or related industry, thanks to the experience they received through Solar Works DC.
Last year, GRID Mid-Atlantic hosted its first We Build, an all-women's solar build, providing space for women with the same passion for renewable energy to work together and gain tehnical skills in the industry.
When Kaly applied for the GRID SolarCorps Construction Fellowship, she was just perusing Craigslist for a job training opportunity that would keep a roof over her and her mom's head while gaining valuable skills.
