Despite market ups and downs, the solar industry continues to need skilled workers ready to meet demand when opportunities arise. Go Solar Academy, based in Minneapolis, is working to build that pipeline by reaching students early – starting as early as elementary school – to develop the next generation of solar professionals.

Rooftops and Classrooms

Founded in 2010 by Joaquin “JT” Thomas, Go Solar Academy emerged from a unique combination of hands-on installation experience and a passion for education. Before launching the Academy, JT ran a solar installation business and frequently worked on projects where community workforce development was built into the contract.

JT explains: “I end up doing these projects where I have to teach someone from the community. They wanted to be involved in the project.” One particularly formative experience came during COVID when he was installing solar at North Minneapolis High School. With the building empty, he set up a classroom right there on site. “I literally set up a classroom and then I would teach and then the next day they would be installing on the roof.”

That hands-on approach – combining theory with immediate practical application – became the foundation of Go Solar Academy’s teaching philosophy.

After selling his installation business in August of last year, JT now focuses full-time on education through Go Solar Education, the parent company that houses both Go Solar Academy (workforce development) and Go Solar Kids (K-5 education programs).

Starting Early: The CTE Program

Go Solar Academy’s flagship program is their Career and Technical Education (CTE) offering, which they’ve partnered with the Minneapolis School District to provide throughout the city. The strategy is to give students a head start in the industry by helping them get real credentials before they enter the workforce. 

“We want to get them while they’re still kind of in a formal educational environment and get them as much training as possible,” says JT. The goal is to ensure students interested in solar careers graduate with credentials that give them a head start over those entering the industry without formal training.

The semester-long CTE course packs in serious training: students prepare for a NABCEP PV Associate credential, OSHA 10 certification, and manufacturer credentials from companies like IronRidge and Enphase – all within 160 hours of instruction.

The results have been encouraging. During Minneapolis’s solar garden boom, employers were literally lining up. “It would be very common that half the class will find jobs before they even graduated,” JT notes.

Adapting to Reality

Like many solar training programs, Go Solar Academy has had to adapt to market fluctuations and logistical realities. They’ve transitioned many of the full-semester courses to shorter, intensive “punch-in workshops” that can be inserted into existing school schedules more easily.

Working within school systems comes with its own challenges, from educational standards to curriculum alignment requirements. The smaller workshop format – typically a week at a time – meshes better with existing schedules while keeping costs manageable for funders.

Go Solar Academy operates as a for-profit company but relies on creative funding arrangements including city workforce development dollars, direct school payments, and company sponsorships where employers fund student training in hopes of recruiting them afterward.

Beyond Youth: Serving Adults and Populations Involved in the Justice System

While high school students are the primary focus, Go Solar Academy hasn’t abandoned adult education. They continue running specialized programs for re-entry populations via second-chance programs.

These program partners typically handle the soft skills training in-house, while Go Solar Academy focuses purely on technical instruction – a division of labor that plays to everyone’s strengths.

These partner organizations also provide crucial wraparound services – like transportation, childcare assistance, job placement support – that dramatically improve student success rates.

An Inspiring Success Story 

When asked about standout program participants, JT lights up talking about one particular student. This young man came from a family roofing business with over 20 years in the industry and threw himself into Go Solar Academy’s full semester course during his senior year of high school.

“He was just one of those rockstar students. He knew everything about all the tools,” JT recalls. Within six months of completing the program, the student had launched an entire solar division within his family’s roofing company – transforming what he learned into a major opportunity for the family business. 

Looking Ahead

Go Solar Academy is now looking to expand beyond Minneapolis, with Denver and Madison, on the radar. The team recently brought on Abby Weidner, a former English teacher, to take over operations as JT focuses on growth into new markets.

They’re also evolving their curriculum to stay relevant to young people. “No matter if the incentives go away or not, there’s always a need for electricity,” JT points out. The program now emphasizes energy storage alongside solar installation and highlights connections to data centers and AI – topics that tend to engage tech-savvy students. 

Advice for Other Workforce Programs

When asked what makes workforce development programs successful, JT emphasizes the importance of blending formal education expertise with real-world industry experience.

“I always like teaching with people that have a little bit of experience,” he says. “Encourage people who are in the industry to teach this program and hear from both the more formal trainers and also people who maybe not have formal training but have the experience.”

That combination gives students a well-rounded education – formal educators who understand how learning works and classroom management, paired with industry veterans who can share what it’s really like in the field. 

Go Solar Academy’s approach is simple and it works: catch students early, provide real credentials, and connect them to actual employers. In an industry that needs skilled workers, their focus on youth workforce development is making a real impact.