FORT DRUM, N.Y. -- Fort Drum's inaugural class of 19 Soldiers and veterans from the 10th Mountain Division (LI) was recognized for successfully completing the Solar Ready Vets program during a graduation ceremony Feb. 17 in the Multipurpose Auditorium.
Solar Ready Vets is a national training program led by the U.S. Department of Energy to prepare veterans for post-military careers in solar-related occupations such as installers, inspectors and sales representatives.
The Fort Drum program, which was created through collaboration with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), is the first of its kind in the state.
"You, the graduates, are ready to enter one of the fastest-growing industries in the state and in the country, and one that will continue to create good jobs, bring investment to our communities and protect our environment," said John Rhodes, NYSERDA president and chief executive officer.
New York Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul said that in her visits to the 62 counties in the state, she has learned that the primary challenge employers have when hiring is not a lack of candidates. It is a lack of trained, qualified candidates.
"Today is a solution to that problem," she said. "This is saying to me that we have figured it out. We have the best qualified individuals getting technical training they would not have but for this program. This, to me, is really what the future should look like."
Hochul said that clean energy initiatives are driving the new economy and the graduates of Solar Ready Vets are going to be a part of it.
"We are saying that you are guaranteed jobs because of the skills you learned in these five weeks," she said. "Those are technical skills that build on your (military) service -- the discipline, the work ethic. I will always say that if you hire a veteran, you will never get a better, harder-working and committed worker than someone who has served in our military with passion."
According to the Department of Energy website, employment in the solar industry has increased 123 percent over the past five years. In 2015, one out of every 83 jobs created in the U.S. was in the solar industry, employing more than 209,000 full-time workers. Approximately 31,000 new full-time jobs are expected to be created this year, and Christine Nichols, senior technical adviser at DOE's SunShot Initiative, said she expects 19 of them to be filled by this graduating class.
"Your trajectory is basically vertical," she said. "You can write your ticket for the future and serve your country and your Families at the same time."
This is good news for Soldiers like Staff Sgt. Wesley Petrus, assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 7th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team.
He did some research on the solar industry before attending the course, but he wasn't aware of how expansive it had become.
"Once we got into the program, we began talking about how many companies there are in the country, and then people came in to talk with us and conduct interviews," he said. "That's how much in demand we are now."
The five-week program was taught by the State University of New York at Canton's Career Ready Education and Success Training (CREST) Center for Workforce Development. The 200 hours of classroom and hands-on instruction focused primarily on solar photovoltaic systems, with topics on operation, maintenance and safety. Students learned how to size and install solar panels, connect electricity to the grid and interpret and comply with local building codes.
Petrus described the accelerated program as extremely detailed, noting it covered everything from theory to practical application.
"Before I enlisted in the Army, I had a background as a real estate inspector, so I already knew some things about housing codes and electricity," Petrus said. "It was a little bit easier for me, but the training went into such detail about the whole system that it made it a bit difficult. We learned so much. There probably wasn't a day where I didn't ask more than 200 questions to the instructors."
Petrus said he has always been interested in renewable energy, and he thinks it is a good idea to be self-sufficient.
"It's just better for our country, and I want to be a part of that," he said.
To learn more about Solar Ready Vets and other employment readiness training opportunities, call the Fort Drum Soldier for Life / Transition Assistance Program at (315) 772-3434.
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