Celebrating Top Solar Companies: Solar States

Solar States has a clear mission: to become the on-ramp to the green collar economy for inner city Philadelphians. Founder Micah Gold-Markel grew up in West Philadelphia, where he saw skilled neighbors doing skilled work – replacing doors, windows, even renovating entire kitchens – but they weren’t part of the traditional trades or unions. They lacked the benefits, like paid time off, retirement plans, and health care.

A talk by Van Jones about his book The Green Collar Economy brought these ideas together for Micah. The solution was to create a company that integrated installation work with workforce training, something uncommon in the solar industry where companies typically focus on one or the other.

We sat down with Micah Gold-Markel, founder of Solar States, and Shanisha Mitchell, Director of Education and Career Development, to learn about their integrated training model and the impact they’re creating in Philadelphia.

A Comprehensive Training Model

Solar States currently partners with about six different organizations, operating thirteen to fifteen programs per year. Their baseline program is 100 hours, though many programs extend beyond that. Programs typically run around eight weeks, though they’ve experimented with formats ranging from intensive four-week full-day programs to evening programs supported by grant funding.

In the past year and a half during Shanisha’s tenure, the programs have scaled significantly. In 2025, they graduated 132 participants who completed the Solar Academy, earned their Ironridge certification, and were prepared to take the NABCEP PV Associate exam.

What helps set Solar States trainees up for success is the integration of hands-on training with their installation work. Students practice on mock roofs before getting real-world experience on actual job sites. “Real roofs cost money, and homeowners pay a lot for their homes,” Shanisha explains. By week three, students are on site with senior installers and crew leads, learning the full scope of a solar installer’s day – from prep to hands-on installation under the guidance of their instructors.

How Solar States Defines Success

Solar States measures success across multiple dimensions. While credentials matter, they also recognize other forms of impact.

From their 132 graduates, Solar States hired 27 interns in 2025, bringing on 10 as full-time employees. But success extends beyond direct placement. “Success is exposure,” Shanisha notes. “There are going to be folks who look back and say, ‘Remember we did that solar training program?’ That experience builds character. They know how to operate tools now. They’re probably more confident fixing small things in their homes because they know how to use a hammer.”

Sometimes success is simply discovering what you don’t want to do – as long as you complete the program and gain that experience.

Using an Internship Model as a Talent Pipeline

Solar States has developed an internship model that they’d like to see other companies adopt. Internships are simply paid jobs with a learning component and a defined duration, allowing for a trial period before a company makes a permanent hiring decision.

“Interns are employees,” Shanisha emphasizes. “When you apply to a job, you might be able to do 50% of it and learn the rest. With an internship, you’re probably learning 80-100% of the job, but there’s a reason you got in the door.”

What makes the internship model effective is having teachers available as mentors, which takes pressure off crew leads who are focused on getting jobs done quickly and correctly. 

Long-Term Career Paths

Solar States looks at success with a long view. “We have a person who came to us from PowerCorpsPHL 10 years ago who’s now a commercial lead,” Micah explains. That kind of trajectory takes years to track, but it’s the outcome they’re working toward.

Micah is skeptical of programs claiming 100% placement. “Did they get a job for two months? Great. Everybody got hired for a month and then they all lost their jobs,” he says. “That’s not meaningful to me. We’re looking for career paths, not contracts.”

Thomas Glenn’s story illustrates this long-term approach. Coming from Kensington – a neighborhood facing significant challenges with fentanyl addiction – Thomas came to Solar States from PowerCorpsPHL. His reaction to learning about solar was immediate: “Wait, this is what? You can make electricity from sunlight? I need to know everything about this.”

In four short years, he earned his electrical license. A year or two later, he moved to Colorado and now works as a licensed electrician for a solar company.

Another success story is Katrell Holmes, who knew nothing about solar when he first came to Solar States. He’s now a crew lead, having been with the company for over 10 years.

You can learn more about Solar States success stories here.

A Mission-Driven Approach

Solar States’ mission remains central to their decision-making. They’re a B Corporation, a certification Micah initially approached with skepticism when they became certified over 10 years ago. The audit process proved difficult, which he came to see as valuable. It meant the certification actually meant something.

The turning point came when they won a major contract and asked what set them apart. “Your mission was really important, and the fact that it was backed up with being a B-certified corporation gave you an advantage,” the client told them. 

The company’s values extend to their hiring practices. Everyone at Solar States knows the “why” from day one. “That’s why they want to work here,” Shanisha says. The company’s black and yellow branding has become recognizable, but more importantly, it’s a place where the CEO walks into the warehouse asking who needs help and is willing to work alongside the team every step of the way.

Advice for Other Companies

When asked what advice they’d give to companies wanting to integrate workforce development with their installation work, Micah was direct: “Anything worth doing is hard. If you come into this and expect it to be easy, it’s not going to work.”

For those willing to put in the work – to provide the necessary support, to spend time with people – the payoff is transformative. “Seeing people succeed is why I got into this,” Micah says. “If that’s your north star, then go for it.”

He encourages companies to use the same analytical approach they apply to business: when something doesn’t work, ask what supports are needed and how to solve the problem employees are facing.

Shanisha emphasizes centering your “why.” “So many of our decisions go back to the mission, back to the why,” she explains. “You don’t just think about an idea and say, ‘Oh, I really want to do this.’ There’s a reason why you want to do it. How can you center that and make sure you’re making decisions around that?”

Solar States demonstrates that integrating workforce development with installation work is challenging but achievable. Their success comes from staying true to their mission, investing in comprehensive training and mentorship, looking at success with a long-term view, and recognizing that building a skilled workforce requires patience, support, and a genuine commitment to people’s growth.

For other companies considering this path, Solar States proves that the results – both in business success and in transformed lives – make the all effort worthwhile.

Learn more about Solar States and their open positions here!