Solar Company Spotlight: How Cherry Street Energy Is Building Tomorrow’s Solar Workforce

As solar companies expand across the Southeast, many focus solely on installing systems and moving to the next project. Cherry Street Energy takes a fundamentally different approach – they’re building lasting workforce opportunities in every community where they operate, creating what CEO Michael Chanin calls a “new collar workforce” that will power the clean energy transition.

Based in Atlanta, Cherry Street designs, installs, owns, and operates solar systems across the Southeast through third-party Power Purchase Agreements (Solar Energy Procurement Agreements in Georgia) and solar leases with 20+ year terms, and has made community workforce development central to their business model. Their Cherry Street Solar School™ program and Shine On® initiatives demonstrate how solar companies can succeed while creating genuine economic opportunities for local businesses and consumers.

Why Workforce Development Matters to Cherry Street

Long-term community investment drives everything. “We’re coming into these communities all over the southeast for 20 plus years,” explains Olivia Wilson, Legal Affairs Coordinator at Cherry Street. “It makes sense to work on building and helping that local community thrive at the same time.”

This philosophy stems from both values and practical necessity. Beyond CEO Michael’s personal commitment to workforce development, Cherry Street recognizes the industry’s skilled labor shortage. Their workforce programs help grow the available talent pool while strengthening relationships in communities where they’ll maintain solar systems for decades.

Breaking down barriers to employment is another core motivation. Cherry Street actively welcomes individuals who have been impacted by the justice system, young adults aging out of foster care, and people experiencing homelessness or addiction recovery. “We want to provide that opportunity to anyone, give them a second chance,” says Becca Dershowitz, Office Manager and program administrator. “There’s no reason they shouldn’t be successful.”

Cherry Street’s Solar School

The Solar School program helps guide individuals to become credentialed solar professionals in 8-10 weeks. Participants follow a structured learning path combining self-paced online modules through HeatSpring along with hands-on Friday sessions often at Cherry Street’s headquarters (but occasionally on a partner site).

Alberto Brown, Senior PV Design Engineer and instructor, emphasizes hands-on learning: “I’ve found the best way to teach people about solar is to physically make them hold the module, turn it, shade it – because you can’t get more instant than ‘oh, we lost all power.'”

There have already been some great results. In their first cohort, four of five participants completed the program. One graduate passed the NABCEP PV Associate exam and was immediately hired by a Shine On partner contractor – one of the best outcomes Cherry Street hopes the program to achieve.

Wraparound services make a huge difference. Cherry Street partners with community-based organizations whenever possible to provide transportation, soft skills training, and other support services. “If you’re trying to reach out to at-risk or marginalized communities, having wraparound services to alleviate the rest of the stress beyond the coursework is super helpful,” notes Alberto.

Partnerships That Scale Impact

Cherry Street’s approach relies heavily on community partnerships. They work with the nsoro Foundation to serve individuals aging out of foster care, with smaller cohorts of 5-10 participants. Their partnership with City of Refuge, supported by a federal grant, commits them to training 100 students over five years in larger cohorts of 15-20 participants. Cherry Street is planning to expand their training programs as coalition partnerships come together where they are building. 

The Business Case for Community Investment

While workforce development aligns with Cherry Street’s values, it also delivers measurable business benefits. Brand differentiation happens naturally when potential customers learn about Solar School. Alberto shares that at customer events, “once I mention Solar School, the entire conversation shifts to ‘that’s interesting, how do I get involved?'”

It helps to deepen customer relationships beyond transactions. The workforce programs demonstrate their long-term commitment to communities, distinguishing them from competitors focused solely on system installation. This community investment approach resonates particularly well with customers who value social impact alongside clean energy benefits.

Practical Advice for Companies Starting Similar Programs

Based on their experience launching Solar School, the Cherry Street team offers some specific recommendations to others looking to do the same:

Plan extensively before launching. “Make sure you set out plenty of time to plan,” advises Becca. “Don’t jump in just because we really want to get this program going. Plan it out, make sure you know who is doing what.”

Partner with organizations providing wraparound services. Finding nonprofit partners that already serve the community with transportation, soft skills training, and other support services is crucial for participant success.

Include hands-on components from day one. Alberto recommends running the program internally first with new hires to refine the curriculum before launching externally. Any company considering similar programming should ensure they can provide practical, hands-on learning experiences.

Consider hiring dedicated instruction staff. While Alberto’s expertise makes him an excellent instructor, teaching is a time-consuming commitment. Companies planning similar programs should budget for dedicated instructional staff or find ways to distribute the teaching load across multiple team members.

A Model Worth Replicating

Cherry Street demonstrates that solar companies can build successful businesses while creating lasting economic opportunities in their communities. Their Solar School program shows how workforce development can address industry labor shortages, strengthen community relationships, and differentiate companies in competitive markets.

By partnering with local organizations, providing comprehensive training, and creating clear pathways to employment, solar companies can do well by doing good – exactly the kind of approach our industry needs to achieve its ambitious growth goals while ensuring the benefits of clean energy truly shine on everyone.

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Interested in joining the incredible team at Atlanta-based Cherry Street Energy? You can find their open positions here.