PG&E is a big supporter of solar energy. This March PG&E is planning on celebrate its 100,000th rooftop solar installation! On Thursday February 20th, a team of PG&E employee volunteers joined GRID Alternatives staff to install 17 solar panels for a local low-income family in Yuba City, CA. “A big part of our effort here reflects the commitment we have to our community,” said Paul Moreno, a PG&E spokesperson. “We’re supportive of renewable energy.”
Joining the PG&E employee volunteers were three paid job trainees on a one-year program to learn job skills in solar installation and lead teams of volunteers. “The PG&E Fellowship program is a great way we can provide these rare, paid training opportunities in solar,” says Bob Gragson, Regional Director at GRID Alternatives. This is the second year in a row PG&E has helped to provide fellowships in solar job training.
One of those fellows is 19 year old Kaly Moore. She is one of six PG&E Solar Fellows across the state, and the youngest. She helps lead other youth, job trainees, and community volunteers as she learns. Kaly is the first in her family to graduate High School and has already worked with the California Conservation Corps and Youth For Change, a youth services group.
Since beginning her fellowship with GRID five months ago, Kaly has spent more than 700 hours learning everything about solar installation, from design, to site inspections, installation, and leading crews of volunteers. When it comes to volunteers, she has been an instrumental part of the training of nearly 100 volunteers, including leading a study group for the NABCEP Solar board exam.
PG&E’s support of solar and solar job training is making a big difference. Not only in the community where thousands of local families have a chance to get solar, but in the lives of job trainees, and the volunteers who the trainees are working with.
For more information on sponsoring fellowship opportunities with GRID Alternatives, contact Rebekah Casey at rcasey@gridalternatives.org.