{"id":7176,"date":"2022-05-31T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-05-31T04:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gridalt.wpenginepowered.com\/the-current\/jahlil-solar-works-dc-provided-more-just-solar-training\/"},"modified":"2026-09-16T17:04:54","modified_gmt":"2026-09-16T21:04:54","slug":"jahlil-solar-works-dc-provided-more-just-solar-training","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/live-grid-wp.pantheonsite.io\/es\/the-current\/jahlil-solar-works-dc-provided-more-just-solar-training\/","title":{"rendered":"For Jahlil, Solar Works DC Provided More Than Just Solar Training"},"content":{"rendered":"

When Jahlil Wormley graduated high school, he didn\u2019t know what direction to take his career. But that would soon be the least of his worries.<\/p>\n

Over the next few months, he\u2019d also experience homelessness and gun violence. After being shot, he was told he\u2019d likely never walk again\u2014if he survived.<\/p>\n

\u201cI almost lost my life,\u201d he said. \u201cI was supposed to be paralyzed or dead. Those were my two options.\u201d <\/p>\n

Two years later, Jahlil walks just fine. He lives in his own apartment. And at Tesla Energy in Prince George\u2019s County, Maryland, he gets paid $20 per hour in his first full-time job out of high school.<\/p>\n

He credits the Solar Works DC training program<\/a> for helping to get his life on track. <\/p>\n

\u201cYou just gotta want it\u201d<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n \"Solar<\/p>\n

Solar Works DC registration is open!<\/strong> Learn more about the program and how to apply.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Jahlil was just graduating high school when GRID Mid-Atlantic arrived at his mother\u2019s house to install solar on her roof. Jahlil\u2019s mother saw someone around his age participating in the installation as part of the Solar Works DC training program. She told her son, \u201cYou can do that.\u201d <\/p>\n

The message stuck. Jahlil was interested and called GRID Mid-Atlantic Executive Director Elijah Perry for more information about the program.<\/p>\n

\u201cI remember Elijah saying, \u2018You just gotta want it. Seven weeks\u2014that ain\u2019t nothing.\u2019 He started talking about the certificates I\u2019d earn, what people get paid in solar\u2026 I was like, I\u2019m liking what I\u2019m hearing,\u201d Jahlil said.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe didn\u2019t have any real support,\u201d Elijah said. \u201cHe was homeless. I remember him coming to me saying he was looking for someone to help him navigate through life and become a man. For him to have that tenacity and drive, it left a lasting impact on me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dead or paralyzed\u2026what about Option 3?<\/h3>\n

Hands-on training is a key aspect of the Solar Works DC program. Trainees learn during real-world installations, where they put up rails, align conduit, connect solar panels, and more.<\/p>\n

But before he made it up on the roof, Jahlil nearly died from gun violence. The bullet entered through his neck and exited out of his back. <\/p>\n

\u201cSomehow it missed everything that could have killed me. It missed my vocal chords, too,\u201d Jahlil said. \u201cI couldn\u2019t feel my legs. I couldn\u2019t walk, nothing. They told me I couldn\u2019t walk, or I could die.\u201d <\/p>\n

Jahlil\u2019s determination overcame his diagnosis. He relearned how to walk during grueling physical therapy sessions. In the meantime, he attended Solar Works DC classes on his computer until he was back on his feet. <\/p>\n

He regained the ability to walk while still in the program. But when he attended installs, his legs would shake due to nerve damage left by the bullet wound.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople were asking me, \u2018You scared? Your leg\u2019s shaking.\u2019 I had nerve damage. It used to be bad,\u201d Jahlil said.<\/p>\n

Jahlil kept attending Solar Works DC classes. He\u2019d often call Elijah and Linda Stroman of Lasting Change Life Coaching to provide updates on his situation, even on Saturdays and Sundays. <\/p>\n

\u201cHe wasn\u2019t making excuses for anything. He really took the opportunity of the program and made the best out of it,\u201d Elijah said. \u201cHe was awesome on the roof. He was awesome in class. He wanted to take care of himself and his family.\u201d <\/p>\n

Building a lifelong career<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Solar Works DC doesn\u2019t just train individuals on how to install solar panels\u2014it helps them grow as people through resume building, personal finance, mock interviews, and more. <\/p>\n

GRID Mid-Atlantic partners with Lasting Change Life Coaching to provide additional services outside the classroom. This includes support for trainees experiencing difficulties with mental health, hunger, homelessness, or other issues that can impact their personal growth.<\/p>\n

Jahlil experienced homelessness as a Solar Works DC trainee, though he was hesitant to mention it. Eventually, he confided in Linda Stroman, who helped him acquire a $5,000 grant from Martha\u2019s Table for living expenses. Shortly after, Jahlil found housing through Sasha Bruce Youthwork.<\/p>\n

Linda also helped Jahlil acquire a birth certificate and ID, which he didn\u2019t have before the program.<\/p>\n

\u201cJahlil is a very humble young man,\u201d Linda said. \u201cHis self-determination was evident during his journey through the Solar Works DC program. He never complained to me about anything. He just wanted to be pointed in the right direction.\u201d <\/p>\n

After graduating from Solar Works DC, Jahlil\u2019s new resume and experience installing solar earned an interview at Tesla Energy. He was offered a starting role at $20 per hour and has an opportunity for a raise every six months. <\/p>\n

His story still inspires the staff at GRID Mid-Atlantic.<\/p>\n

\u201cDuring a time when everyone needed hope and inspiration, including me, Jahlil\u2019s tenacity and drive provided that,\u201d Elijah said. \u201cHe\u2019s the reason why we do the work that we do. Our purpose is to support the community.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

Solar Works DC is a part of Solar for All<\/strong><\/a>, a Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE) program. Solar for All <\/em>seeks to provide the benefits of solar electricity to 100,000 low-income households and reduce their energy bills by 50% by 2032. The program, which was established by the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) Expansion Amendment Act of 2016, is funded by the Renewable Energy Development Fund (REDF).<\/em><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

After experiencing homelessness and gun violence, Solar Works DC helped change Jahlil\u2019s personal and professional life.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":6008,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"audience":[],"content-type":[12],"focus-area":[20],"region":[65],"series":[],"content-author":[],"class_list":["post-7176","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","content-type-news","focus-area-job-training","region-mid-atlantic"],"acf":{"hero_media_type":"image","hero_media_image":null,"hero_media_url":"","hero_media_poster":null,"hero_video_play":"inline","related_stories":null,"pattern_override":null,"story_callouts":null,"media":null,"featured_blog_post":null,"featured_event":null,"pdf_download":null,"blockquote":null,"author":null,"notice":null,"social_embed":null,"contact_card":null,"meta_details":null,"faq":null,"table":null},"yoast_head":"\nFor Jahlil, Solar Works DC Provided More Than Just Solar Training - 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