Solar Richmond Trains Low Income Residents

A unique jobs training program in Richmond, California is moving low-income residents and youth of color into the green economy. As the green-collar jobs idea builds momentum throughout the nation, this program is among the first to "walk the talk" by providing low cost and free solar system installation to low-income homeowners and training low-income residents from the community to do the work.

The Richmond program has three key partners:

• Solar Richmond, a community based non-profit organization that forged the partnership for this program.
• The City of Richmond's Richmond BUILD Program which is the City of Richmond's low-income residential assistance and construction training program that is funded through federal, state and foundation programs.
• GRID Alternatives is a non-profit that installs solar systems for low-income homeowners and provides solar training. Another partner that Solar Richmond is increasingly utilizing is solar installation companies.

A total of 32 Richmond residents completed the training program as of December 2007, and all of them received interviews with companies within several weeks of graduation. As of December 2007, all but five program graduates have been hired by local solar and construction firms.

Solar Richmond continues to coordinate regular trainings and facilitate job placement for graduates. Solar Richmond plans to expand its program in the coming years the 'solar' week was added onto an existing construction training program next year with increased funding green building techniques will be incorporated throughout the nine week program.

"Putting panels on a roof - only good comes from it," said Michele McGeoy, founder and director of Solar Richmond, which has a goal of producing 5 megawatts of clean, renewable solar power in the city by 2010.

Excerpted from Green-Collar Jobs in America’s Cities by Green for All, the Apollo Alliance, Center for American Progress, and Center on Wisconsin Strategy. Published March 2008