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Sunny Days Ahead for Transitioning Vets

Posted 17 February 2015 - by Carol Brighton
Updated 5.13.15: Schedule & Application Info for FREE 6 week Solar Training Courses offered at TCC

Solar Energy International led a 4 week long solar training course at Camp Pendleton. Pictured above is the February 13 Graduating Class of Marines and Sailors of DOE's Reach for the Sun program - Image: SEI

20 marines just graduated from the first DoD solar training program offered to services members that will soon be transitioning into civilian employment.  The “Reach for the Sun” program funded by the Department of Energy’s Sunshot Initiative provided free training to applicants at Camp Pendleton in California.  The program will also be replicated at Norfolk Naval Station and Fort Carson in Colorado.  All in all, 200 services members will have the opportunity to take advantage of this pilot program.

Following on the heels of Dominion's recent announcement to install 400 MW of solar capacity in the Commonwealth by 2020, there’s now hot demand for a skilled well-paid solar workforce in Virginia also found across much of the country. 17,000 veterans are currently employed in the solar industry, representing almost 10% of 174,000 solar workers. According to Minh Le, director of DoE’s Sunshot initiative,"this new solar energy job training program will help our motivated, highly skilled service men and women gain the training they need to transition into leaders of our nation’s growing clean energy economy.” One in 78 new US jobs are in the solar industry and over the next decade, positions in the field are expected to grow at a rate of 20,000 per year.

Minh notes “the pilot program provides participating military service members at each of the selected three bases with four to six weeks of intensive solar training courses at no cost. Participants will learn how to size and install solar energy systems and develop other related solar job skills.” 5 major solar companies support the program.  The DOE has partnered with Solar City, SunRun, Vivint Solar, SunEdison, and SunPower to interview and potentially hire graduates of the program. In a blog posted on the Camp Pendleton graduation, the Solar Energy Institute reports that after interviews conducted by partner companies, many of the graduates had jobs. Operations Recruiting Manager for Solar City, Marshall Smith said, "After meeting with the 20 participants during our interviews, I pretty much wanted to make an offer to everyone of them. From the veterans we have hired in the past, we have witnessed a great drive, attitude, and ability to adapt. Those attributes are clear determining factors contributing to their success."

With hourly pay ranging from $20-24 per hour and a hot market for skilled labor, transitioning to private sector solar services offers veterans a bright future. A training program begins at Fort Carson on March 17. Application details are available here. Dates and enrollment information for the program at Norfolk Naval Station course have not been released.  More information will be posted here as it becomes available. To learn more about the training program, watch the video below.

SEI Military Base Solar Training - Camp Pendleton

 

 

 

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