Solar job training in Chicago prepares next generation of energy workforce
May 14, 2025
Solar job training in Chicago prepares next generation of energy workforce
Nine young adults participated in the program this spring
A 10-week workforce training program based in Chicago’s North Lawndale neighborhood is working to better prepare students of all backgrounds for jobs in the clean energy sector.
This spring, nine young adults with varying degrees of education and experiences took part in the hands-on solar installation training program.
WATCH HERE“We learned about different wiring types, what is a PV system, grid types” Raeven Terrell, who just completed the course, told NBC Chicago.
Terrell said she was planning to go into sales, and looked at the opportunity to educate others in that role as something to look forward to.
Fellow trainee Jamaal Gayles has a degree in graphic design and used the program to learn more about using his skillset in the solar industry.
“It was definitely outside of my wheelhouse, outside of my comfort zone,” Gayles said.
Elevate, a nonprofit organization, partnered with Grid Alternatives, Sesenergi Eco Solutions and the North Lawndale Employment Network to provide stipends that mirror industry wages and wraparound services, including transportation and work attire, to participants.
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“This is training them at the entry level of understanding solar,” Sesenergi COO Osei Andrews-Hutchinson said.
The graduates are also leaving the program with multiple industry-recognized certifications.
SIGN UP “We’re preparing them for the NAPCEP PVA exam,” Andrews-Hutchinson said. “A lot of folks that are in the industry don’t have this, so this really we feel puts them a step ahead.”
Jobs in clean energy grew at double the rate of overall jobs, according to the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, with projected growth in the field “much faster” than average.
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