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If you know of someone looking for a job, or specifically considering a career in solar, the free Solar Job Fair happening in D.C. on November 17 is an excellent start. Even better, you don’t need prior solar experience, and employers will be interviewing and hiring on the spot. The Solar Job Fair will coincide with the big Solar Focus 2016 at the Renaissance Washington.

The solar industry is growing at 15 percent a year. Solar job growth eclipsed oil and gas jobs in 2016 with over 240,000 U.S. workers employed. In Maryland, 85 percent of solar employers report they struggle to fill open positions. There are jobs out there people!

Baltimore boasts two nonprofits – Civic Works and GRID Alternatives – that are paving the road for job seekers to access high-paying solar careers through their excellent job training programs. Both will be on hand.

The Solar Job Fair will offer: seminars, info about local solar job training programs, and solar employment interviews.

To sign up, register and upload your resume here. It’s also okay to register if you don’t have a digital resume, though it is a plus. Job Fair details are here. Flyer is below.

Check out the type of potential jobs and family-sustaining wages that local employers will be offering. Both experienced and inexperienced candidates are needed.

Solar offers family-sustaining wages:

Construction/ Architecture. All majors. Starting wage $13.77/hour.*

Solar Installers: Can earn $21.00/hour.

Site Assessor. Majors: Architecture, $28.87/hour.*

Designer. All Majors. $28.87/hour. *

Project Manager. Majors: Business, Communication, Design $29.32/ hour.

Sales Additional: Majors: Business, Marketing, Communications. All Majors. $36.13/hour.*

Other job types: Majors: Communications, Psychology, Social Work.

* subject to change

Current list of Solar Job Fair employers to date:

EDGE Energy, Sunrun, Inc., SolUnesco, DCSEU, RER Energy Group LLC, BQ Energy, Sustainable Design Group, Aurora Energy, Inc., Department of Energy and Environment, Bithenergy, Inc, Solar Training Network, Civic Works, Sol Systems, Pepco Holdings, Solar Energy Services, Inc., GRID Alternatives Mid-Atlantic, D.C. Department of Employment Services, Vivint Solar, Altenergy Inc and Job Corps Outreach and Admissions, and many more.

Now it’s time to put your best self forward. Check out Baltimore City’s Job Readiness Tools for resume tips, what to wear to an interview, and interview prep tips. If you’re new to solar, brush up on solar’s progress in Environment America’s Shining Rewards report.

Go get ‘em and good luck!

Laurel Peltier reports on environmental stories and news in the weekly GreenLaurel column. A graduate of UCLA and UVA’s Darden MBA program, Laurel was a brand manager for consumer companies.

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