SunEdison and GRID Alternatives Announce Major Solar Workforce Initiative
SunEdison, Inc. the world’s largest renewable energy development company, and the SunEdison Foundation, today announced a $5 million contribution to their philanthropic partnership with GRID Alternatives, the nation’s largest non-profit solar installer. Together, the organizations are launching a two-year initiative called RISE to connect the industry’s growing demand for skilled workers with communities that need jobs, and to build a more inclusive solar workforce.
About the organizations
About GRID Alternatives
GRID Alternatives is an international, U.S.-based 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that builds community-powered solutions to advance economic and environmental justice through renewable energy. GRID works in the U.S., Mexico, Nepal, and Nicaragua and has installed solar photovoltaic systems on more than 29,500 homes and affordable housing developments in underserved communities while providing more than 33,200 individuals with workforce development training. GRID also provides clean mobility solutions and battery storage and is a leading voice in low-income solar policy development in the U.S. Installation Basics Training (IBT), a competency-based certificate program designed to develop the skills most relevant to entry-level solar installation jobs and related construction employment fields. Trainees learn solar installation skills, OSHA 10 safety standards, first aid and CPR, and soft skills, including interpersonal communication and dependability, to help job trainees obtain and sustain employment.
