Solar Workforce Initiative Creates New Pathways to Green Jobs for Youth and Adults
February 2018 - GRID Alternatives North Valley’s Promise Zone Solar Workforce Initiative provides exposure to solar career pathways and solar installation training to area youth and adults resulting in employment in the Clean Economy.
Initiative Impacts (to date):
415 kW of installed solar capacity, serving 116 low-income Promise Zone homeowners
22 adult residents of the PZ completed our intensive training program since Summer 2017
40% of trainees have been placed in permanent positions with local solar companies
34 youth living in the PZ receive exposure to solar technology & clean economy career pathways as a part of our Solar Futures service-learning field trips and week-long paid summer internships
The Promise Zone Solar Workforce Initiative advances goals under the Sacramento Redevelopment and Training Agency’s Jobs Plus Partnership and increased training opportunities for Greater Sacramento Urban league. Other partnerships include local High Schools – Sacramento Charter High, The Met Sacramento and Grant High. Collaboration with the partners have resulted in recruiting dedicated job trainees and students. The partnerships direct our services to adult and student Promise Zone residents who could benefit from jobs the most.
The Promise Zone team has helped GRID’s Workforce Program by strengthening collaboration between training partners and funders. The Promise Zone Solar Workforce Initiative is made possible thanks to a collaborative investment by Citi, JPMorgan Chase, U.S. Bank and Wells Fargo, this investment was coordinated by the Promise Zone team. This investment supported a transformation of GRID’s solar installation basics training that our region can now offer to those looking for a career in the Clean Economy.
After the Promise Zone Solar Workforce Initiative ends in Summer 2018, GRID will be able to offer the established Installation Basics Training program to all Sacramento residents in need of training for careers in solar and related industries. Employment can have significant impact on an individual, in affect resulting in the well-being of a household. As employment opportunities and healthy households grow, so too will the prosperity of our region’s neighborhoods. For more information on GRID Alternatives, please visit https://gridalternatives.org/