EMILY

We’ve been able to launch a new program. It’s called Bright Solar Futures. It’s the most robust training for high schoolers and for young people in the country on solar.

Learning how to become a solar installer, a weatherization tech, solar sales and design – We wanted to train people not just in solar, but also in all of the tangential and support services that go along with that.

Getting kids into solar vocational training gives them a sense of what the possibilities are after they graduate and really helps keep them on track.

MICHELLE

The average wage for a young person walking into this industry is about 42 thousand dollars. That’s above and beyond a lot of the industries and jobs they walk into.

I think it’s very important for our students in Philadelphia to learn about solar energy and let them know they are and can be a part of it.

It’s one of the better, most prepared first year programs that we’ve ever had. There’s a true, genuine interest in the program, and we’re optimistic that it’s going to grow.

EMILY

Young people age 18-30 in Philadelphia have an unemployment rate that is more than double the citywide average, and that gets even worse when you look at people of color and in low income communities as well.

It’s really exciting to see them get this training and go straight into a workforce. And these are not just jobs, they’re careers.

We’ve had a lot of folks call and ask about the program to see how they could replicate it in their states as well. I think there’s a lot of interest. We’ll be excited to see who actually moves forward with it.