CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. --
Twenty transitioning service members will graduate from the U.S. Department of Energy SunShot Initiative Pilot Solar Energy Training Program here Friday at 1:30 pm.
The ceremony will be hosted by Brig. Gen. Edward D. Banta, the Commanding General of Marine Corps Installations-West, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, and Minh Le, the Director of the SunShot Initiative within the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy at the U.S. Department of Energy.
This pilot program is enabled by the Department of Defense’s “Skillbridge” initiative, which allows exiting military personnel to pursue civilian job training, employment skills training, apprenticeships and internships up to six months prior to their End of Active Service date.
Service members who graduate from this training program will gain the skills to size and install solar panels, safely connect electricity to the grid, and interpret and comply with local building codes. Five of the largest U.S. solar companies by number of employees – SolarCity, Vivint Solar, Sunrun, SunEdison and SunPower – have committed to interview all graduating military trainees for employment, a step that is intended to help place qualified transitioning service members trainees in well-paying jobs.
-30-
******MEDIA COORDINATION INSTRUCTIONS******
Media interested in covering this event must call the Camp Pendleton Media Relations Office at (760) 725-5044 or email pendleton.media@usmc.mil NO LATER THAN 4 p.m. THURSDAY, Feb. 12. Members of the media who have RSVP’d will meet at Camp Pendleton’s SAN LUIS RAY gate at 12:30 P.M. on FRIDAY, Feb. 13, to be escorted to the event.
-USMC-