>> GEORGIA COLLEGE
The City of Milledgeville and Georgia College & State University (GCSU) are hosting An Introduction to Solar Technology & Entrepreneurship course through a $100,000 grant received earlier this year.
The course is completely free and is occurring between January and June, with classes being divided into cohorts for specific dates.
Professors Dr. Nicholas Creel and Dr. Hasitha Mahabaduge will be the instructors. The funding for the course is through the Partnership for Inclusive Innovation (PII), which promotes community projects to enhance economic development. Milledgeville was among four cities awarded the grant this year, which will also support the installation of some solar panels on designated government buildings.
The is designed to introduce students to the basics of solar power technology and the workforce. According to the course description, “special emphasis will be placed on the design and installation of photovoltaic electrical systems for both residential and commercial use.”
Both professors also emphasized that the course will equip and inform students on how to start their businesses within the market. After completing the course, participants will receive a certificate of completion that may be used in securing job opportunities, internships, or as a strengthening for starting a business.
“We are teaching you the basics of design and installation of the equipment and adding on the business basics including how do you contract property, how these grant systems work, et cetera,” said Creel.
The course allows for 40 people, in groups of 10 for each cohort, in total to take the course. Ten of those 40 will have the opportunity to install the solar panels in Milledgeville. These individuals will be selected by Creel and Mahabaduge. No prior accreditations are necessary to take the course, however having a high school diploma or an equivalent to one is recommended.
“For the city, we are going to be adding in an array from scratch to one of their programs. We have not decided where yet, but we are aiming for 10 students from the course to complete a paid internship of sorts to put it on,” said Creel.
According to Mahabaduge, GCSU alumni have come forward within the workforce and have already begun discussions to offer potential jobs and internships for graduates of the course. According to Creel, there is a “massive workforce need” within the market of solar technology.
“Installation is booming in Georgia,” said Hasitha. “But we try to take that one step further so instead of working for someone else, there is an option of starting their own business.” Creel added, “You can go commercial or residential, and residential is also growing quite big in Georgia. When you talk to professionals it’s a real boom cycle right now.”
One benefit of GCSU hosting the course will be allowing students a very hands-on learning experience and will expand the “typical” boundaries of the course by allowing students to use GCSU labs to begin their education with solar cells and advance from there.
“They will be able to work with small-scale solar cells and will get a chance to see the process of getting cells into panels,” said Mahabaduge. “Most courses like this start with the panel and the why but we are taking it one step ahead to begin with the cell.”
While the current grant only allows for the one-time course, Creel and Mahabaduge both expressed a hope that the course will garner more interest in solar technology and it may lead them to offer more advanced courses in the future and pursue further funding opportunities.
“We want more people to be aware of solar power and how it’s something to take advantage of,” said Creel. “If there is interest and funding in the future, we would like to host more advanced classes.”
To learn more about the course or sign up, the community may visit https://cpe.gcsu.edu/gcsu/course/course.aspx?catId=115.