PG&E Grant Supports Solar Job Training, Community Vitality
OAKLAND, Calif. Courtney Dittmar was thrust into a tough Bay Area job market in 2009 when she lost her job of nine years at a university library. After two years of unemployment, a friend connected her with the nonprofit GRID Alternatives, which runs a Solar Intern Program funded by a $120,000 grant from Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E).
About the organizations
Sobre 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.
