Seattle Mayor Congratulates Clean Energy Job Trainees
Sphere Solar Energy was honored to have Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell visit the office and personally congratulate the stellar participants of the Clean Energy Career Pathway (CECP) program. With the transition to a sustainable economy upon us, Mayor Harrell also recognized the imperative to tackle the climate crisis in a way that is fair and just – by creating equitable access to the growing number of good jobs to decarbonize the grid and expand renewable sources of electricity.
Currently people of color and females are underrepresented in the clean energy workforce. Supported by Seattle’s Green New Deal Opportunity Fund, Sphere Solar Energy’s job training provides an introduction to careers in solar, EV charging, battery storage and electrification. Participants also gain skills to qualify for these green jobs through hands-on exposure to clean energy components, system assembly methods, and electricity fundamentals. Trainees interested in the business side learn how to assess solar feasibility, size a system,and calculate electricity consumption.
Cloudy with a Chance of Solar
Sphere Solar Energy CEO and founder Edwin N. Wanji welcomed Mayor Harrell with a tour of the shop and showed him the components used to install solar panels on a roof. The Mayor was also able to observe how photovoltaic technology works to convert sunlight into electricity. Although it was a cloudy day with not even a hint of sun, the 200 watt solar panel still collected enough photons to turn on a strip of light. Yes, solar works in Seattle!
Figure 2: Sphere Solar Energy CEO Edwin N. Wanji discussing photovoltaic technology with Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell
Speed Networking
As with many professions, networking and personal introductions to potential employers are enablers of career advancement. Having updated their resumes as part of Sphere’s job training program, program participants had the opportunity to meet one-on-one with clean energy professionals to explore careers in decarbonization.
It takes courage for job seekers to step out of their comfort zone to converse with highly accomplished industry experts. Operating in a “speed dating” format, they rotated to a different table every seven minutes, introducing themselves, sharing their professional aspirations, inquiring about jobs and how to qualify for positions of interest.
Industry Pros
Mayor Harrell took a moment to recognize the employers present for their unwavering commitment to building equitable access to good green jobs. He also noted the strong collaboration between business and the public sector, and how this “cross-pollination” and mutual support is key to increasing the diversity of the trades and clean energy workforce. Among the highly accomplished professionals that took the time to share their expertise were the founders of Puget Sound Solar. Clean energy pioneers in Seattle, Pam and Jeremy have been in the business of reducing carbon emissions for over 20 years. Representatives from Valley Electric, Omnidian, Olympia Community Solar, and Key Labs also met with the program participants to offer guidance on how to pursue the growing job opportunities for electricians, installation technicians, business analysts, and other clean energy professionals.
It Takes a City
Navigating the clean energy job sector can be daunting and it was inspiring to see how many representatives of the City of Seattle personally came out to listen to the participants and encourage them to reach their professional potential. They felt like they were truly heard which was empowering. Among the City of Seattle staff present were Jeanne, Jon, and Julianna with the Department of Finance and Administrative Services (FAS), Lylianna and Gus with the Office of Sustainability & Environment (OSE) and Vin with the Office of Economic Development (OED). Kudos for their wholehearted commitment to advancing workforce equity in the clean energy sector, and the hard work they are doing to make it a reality.
A Brighter, More Inclusive Future
The clean energy job mixer was a first for Sphere. Speed networking takes effort and to ensure the sustainability of the participants, delicious samosas and mandazis were served from Safari Njemi restaurant, compliments of Edwin N. Wanji, a Kenya native. As it turned out, the diverse mixture of people at various stages in their clean energy careers were the ingredients for a genuinely supportive, constructive experience, where the participants benefited from engaging in face to face professional interactions and left more encouraged and knowledgeable about next steps in their clean energy career. Congratulations to Sphere’s clean energy job trainees! We wish you a bright future and thank you for your interest in a career to save the planet!