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GRID Alternatives works in partnership with job training organizations throughout California to integrate workforce development directly into our low-income solar projects. As a nonprofit solar installer, we provide a "classroom in the field" where folks can gain hands-on experience in a real-world solar installation environment, while under the supervision and guidance of our experienced, professional solar installation staff.
A study by the California Community Colleges Centers of Excellence recently found that solar companies prefer hiring entry level solar installers who have actual experience with solar installation, not just training. According to this study, 4 of 5 employers surveyed had difficulty finding prospective employees with that experience. For unemployed workers who want to train to enter this high-growth field, this creates a “catch 22” – they can’t get their first job without experience, and they can’t get experience without that first job. GRID Alternatives addresses this challenge through three initiatives.
- Workforce Development Partnerships: GRID Alternatives partners with dozens of local workforce development initiatives throughout California to provide dedicated, turn-key solar installation experiences for their participants. We manage each project from start to finish, including identifying the project sites and clients, financing, designing and permitting each solar electric system, securing the equipment, supervising the installation, and providing 10-year warranties for each system. Each workday is scheduled in coordination with the training program’s structure and curriculum, to ensure that each cohort of trainees has the chance to complete at least one full solar electric installation from start to finish.
- Subcontractor Partnership Program (SPP): SPP is GRID Alternatives’ newest workforce development initiative, and leverages our role as the statewide Program Manager for the SASH low-income solar incentive. For the portion of solar installations completed under the SASH incentive that GRID Alternatives is not doing directly with our volunteer-based installation model, we are allowing for-profit installation companies to do the work on the condition that they hire graduates from local workforce development programs as part of their labor force for the projects.
- Volunteer and Team Leader Program: In addition to working directly with formal solar installation training programs, we also provide unemployed or underemployed individuals from the general public with the same training and experiences through our volunteer and team leader programs. Each installation offers our volunteers hands-on installation experience and networking opportunities. For individuals who want to get even more experience and a more comprehensive skill set, we offer a Team Leader program. Team Leaders must complete at least five GRID Alternatives installations, complete our special Team Leader training session, and demonstrate a mastery of core skills to GRID Alternatives’ staff in the field. Once this is complete, we certify these individuals as Team Leaders, who then serve as “teaching assistants” to GRID Alternatives’ staff on our installation projects. We also support Team Leaders in providing the experience and documentation necessary for becoming certified PV installers with NABCEP, the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners.
We have many examples of past volunteers finding jobs in the solar industry, and often hear of solar companies telling job seekers to volunteer with GRID Alternatives and apply again when they have some hands-on experience. GRID Alternatives is proud of our role in providing the trained workforce that allows the solar industry to continue its dramatic growth, and to do our part to make sure some of those jobs are available to folks coming from the low-income communities where we work.
To see which job training organizations we partner with, check out the Local Partners page of the GRID Alternatives office near you.
