Meet Julie Stiglish – Instructor Spotlight Brit Heller Every course has an instructor behind it, someone who spent years in the field before they built their course on HeatSpring. The Instructor Spotlight series exists so our community can meet those people directly: how they got into the industry, what they’ve learned along the way, and what still keeps them curious. This time we’re introducing Julie Stiglish, whose new course, 10 Utility-Scale Solar Defects Hiding in Plain Sight, draws on 27 years in electrical construction and utility-scale solar QA/QC. Julie is the founder of JS Renewable Energy Group, providing owner-side QA/QC and inspection oversight on utility-scale solar and storage projects across the country. She built that background inside First Solar, working both the manufacturing and construction sides, which is part of why her teaching focuses on where defects actually start rather than just where they’re found later. Read on to hear more about her career, what she’s learned, and a few things her students probably don’t know about her. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever gotten? If you start to feel like the smartest person in the room, change rooms. You should always be learning and surround yourself with people who have more experience and are as eager to learn as you are. What’s a quote you think about often? “In looking for people to hire, you look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence, and energy. And if they don’t have the first, the other two will kill you.”— Warren Buffett What was your first job in the industry? I was hired as an unindentured electrical apprentice. My supervisor thought my job was to sweep floors. So, for 6 months, I swept floors. Then a new supervisor took over and handed me a conduit bender. That’s really where it started. How many years have you been in the industry? 27 years What are your hobbies? I play the guitar. I love to write. What’s a fun fact about you that your students don’t know? I write books. I published my novel “Killer: Anonymous” in April 2026. My second novel is coming out soon. What’s a tradition or habit you’re proud of? I still love to be in the field. When performing site audits, I love to walk the row and get my hands on the work. Check out Julie’s free course – 10 Utility-Scale Solar Defects Hiding in Plain Sight. Featured Originally posted on August 5, 2026 Written by Brit Heller Director of Program Management @ HeatSpring. Brit holds two NABCEP certifications - Photovoltaic Installation Professional (PVIP) and Photovoltaic Technical Sales (PVTS). When she isn’t immersed in training, Brit is a budding regenerative farmer just outside of Atlanta where she is developing a 17-acre farm rooted in permaculture principles. She can be found building soil health, cultivating edible & medicinal plants, caring for her animals or building functional art. More posts by Brit