Last year, about 250 workers built a large solar farm south of Dallas, Texas. Many of the construction workers were veterans, thanks to an apprenticeship program started by Nicholas Morgan.
“Transitioning out of the military is always difficult,” he says.
Morgan served in the Iraq war and was wounded in combat.
He says he knows firsthand how hard it can be for returning veterans to figure out what they want to do next with their lives and make it happen: “How do they gain not just a job but something that leads to a career?”
Morgan is the president and cofounder of Adaptive Construction Solutions. The company runs a paid apprenticeship program that pairs veterans with employers in a range of industries, including renewable energy.
He says careers in large-scale solar are growing fast.
“I have not seen an industry that’s grown as fast as this particular side of renewables,” Morgan says. “There’s so much growth and opportunity. We’re seeing apprentices rapidly move up within an organization.”
So he says the program helps veterans move into meaningful new careers and helps companies make sure they have the talent they need as they continue to grow.
Also see: An introduction to the state of solar power in the U.S.
Reporting credit: Sarah Kennedy/ChavoBart Digital Media and Jan Ellen Spiegel