NORTHWEST FLORIDA STATE COLLEGE, Fla. -- The first class of graduates from the new Solar Ready Vets program received their certificates of completion here Jan. 27.
The seven graduates included veterans, dependents and transitioning military members who are looking for jobs in the growing solar energy field.
"We are excited about the future of Solar Ready Vets at Eglin Air Force Base,” said Lisa Splinter, Eglin Education Services officer. “Our goal is to engage community partnerships resulting in a robust Solar Ready Vets program and increased employment opportunities for our transitioning service members."
Guest speaker Col. David Willcox, 96th Mission Support Group commander, congratulated the graduates on choosing to prepare themselves for their future outside the Air Force through education and vocational training.
“You are in an incredible position, as employers now have access to highly qualified, Solar Ready-trained graduates right here in the Panhandle,” said Willcox.
The training prepares students for careers as solar photovoltaic system installers, sales representatives, system inspectors, and other solar-related occupations. Solar Ready Vets is enabled by the U.S. Department of Energy and Department of Defense’s SkillBridge initiative, which allows exiting military personnel to pursue job and skills training, apprenticeships, and internships up to six months prior to their separation.
"I believe the solar industry resonates with transitioning military personnel because this industry allows them to continue serving their country by providing energy security, which is critical to our national security,” said Tenley Dalstrom, The Solar Foundation’s program director for Solar Ready Vets.
The training comes at a particularly relevant time to Northwest Florida, as the Department of Defense and its partners begin the installation portion of three solar photovoltaic fields that will power 4,500 homes across the panhandle. The solar industry has grown significantly in Florida and nationwide, with The Solar Foundation reporting the solar energy industry employing 6,500 people in the state and over 208,000 nationwide in 2015.