For the second year in a row City College of San Francisco’s Department of Advanced Transportation and Renewable Energy partnered with GRID Alternatives to bring training from the classroom to the rooftop by installing solar for a low-income homeowner in the community. This month, a new group of excited students hit the roof to get hands-on training all while giving back to the community!
Max Parsley, instructor at the Advanced Transportation and Renewable Energy Department, participated in the installation as well. He says, “The students loved the chance to install a 'real' system and to see, or put to use some to the things I tell them in class.” The unique opportunity for students to engage in a real project allows for them to see details they would otherwise not be exposed to; some of which include anchoring quality, safety issues, and exposure to the latest technology.
Sponsored in part by the U.S. Department of Energy SUNSHOT Solar Instructor Training Network, the City College of San Francisco students brought their classroom skills to the rooftop and helped provide the gift of solar to Marine Corps veteran and San Franciscan native, Johnny Carr! With the help of these students, Johnny has a new 3Kw system that will produce nearly $24,000 in direct energy savings over its lifespan.
In alignment with our workforce development efforts to bring energy technology training to those who need it most, GRID Alternatives has 70+ job training partners - from community colleges, nonprofit job training groups and veterans organizations to local government agencies. Each of these partnerships help us bring needed skills to green job trainees. To learn more please see our website here.