Training Today. Leading Tomorrow: CAST Collective Graduates Our Second Clean Energy Workforce Cohort!!

July 27, 2026

Atlanta, GA

Picture a room full of Atlanta residents on graduation day, not in caps and gowns, but in the safety vests and hard hats they've spent weeks learning to wear on real job sites. They've spent evenings and weekends studying panel wattage and racking systems, sitting through First Aid/CPR/AED + OSHA 10 certification, and picturing what a solar career could look like for their families. On July 31, this room will fill again -- for the second time!

The Community Access to Sustainable Technology and Training (CAST) Collective — a partnership between Black Sustainability, Inc. (BSI), Ayika Solutions, Inc., and ReGen Community Advisory, Inc. , celebrates the graduation of our second Installation Basics Training (IBT) cohort in partnership with GRID Alternatives (supported in part by Google).

Here's the number that should catch every funder's attention: more than 70 people applied for this single cohort. Not 70 people who casually clicked a sign-up link… 70 people who wanted a shot at a PAID training program built by and for their own community. That's not a fluke. It's a pattern now, two cohorts running, and it's telling us something important about where demand for clean energy careers in Atlanta actually lives.

MEET OUR GRID ALT COHORT 2

It would be easy to describe IBT as a solar bootcamp and move on. But that undersells what's actually happening here. Graduates don't just learn to install panels. They walk away with:

• Hands-on technical training on real installations, not just classroom theory

• OSHA 10 certification, an industry-recognized credential employers actually look for

• IronRidge Certified Installer

• Workforce readiness soft skill support, resume building, interview prep, financial literacy, professional habits

• Ongoing career support aimed at what comes after graduation: employment, apprenticeships, entrepreneurship, or a long-term career trajectory in clean energy

Why the model is working

"With over 70 applicants, the graduation of our second cohort is evidence of the demand for culturally-relevant experiential training in solar by the Atlanta community and a celebration of what can happen when communities lead and partners follow through with meaningful investment," said Raina Turner-Greenlea, Ecosystem Director for Black Sustainability, Inc. "Our graduates have excelled at every level and are committed to developing new skills and creating new opportunities for themselves and their families."

That's the community half of the equation. The other half comes from GRID Alternatives, whose nationally recognized clean energy training model gives the CAST Collective's neighborhood relationships a proven curriculum to run on. Community trust gets people in the door and keeps them showing up; GRID's training ensures they leave with skills and credentials employers recognize on day one. Neither half works as well alone. Together, they're building a workforce pipeline that's rooted in West Atlanta but built to industry standard.

Google's continued backing has been the fuel behind scaling that pipeline from one cohort to two and, the partners hope, well beyond. "At Google, we believe that the transition to a clean energy future must be inclusive, and that starts with empowering local talent," said Jamal Jessie, Manager of Community & Workforce Development at Google. "The success of both cohorts is a testament to the incredible power of community partnerships like the CAST Collective and GRID Alternatives. By aligning workforce training with high-growth, in-demand careers, we aren't just helping individuals secure thriving wage jobs today, we are building a resilient, skilled workforce that will lead the Atlanta community tomorrow."

For Dr. Erica Holloman Hill, Founder and Chief Envisioning Officer of Ayika Solutions, Inc., the second graduation is proof the model compounds. "Watching this second cohort graduate is a powerful reminder of what is possible when workforce development is rooted in community," she said. "This partnership continues to demonstrate that investing in people creates lasting benefits for families, neighborhoods, and the region's economy."

Cohort Two after Solar Power Hour Panel Discussion with clean energy leaders; Don Tonic, Solar Plus/GRID Alternatives; Dana Clare-Redden, Solar Stewards/B.O.S.S.; Knowledge Murphy, Black Man, Green Plan.

And GRID Alternatives sees this cohort as a signal of where the whole industry is headed. "This cohort represents the future of the clean energy workforce," said Adewale Ogunbadejo, Vice President of Workforce Development at GRID Alternatives. "We are honored to partner with the CAST Collective and grateful to Google for making this work possible. Together, we are creating pathways that lead not only to jobs, but to lifelong careers, entrepreneurship, and economic mobility."

What 70 applicants for one cohort actually tells you

Sit with that waitlist number for a second. Most workforce programs spend real money and time on recruitment and outreach just to fill seats. The CAST Collective has the opposite problem, more qualified, motivated applicants than the current program can serve. That's the clearest possible market signal that this model is ready to scale, and that every cohort left unfunded is real talent left on the table.

Two cohorts in, the pattern holds: when workforce training is designed with a community instead of delivered to it, people show up, they finish, and they come back wanting more. The demand isn't the risk here, the capacity to meet it is.

Where this goes next?

The CAST Collective and GRID Alternatives are ready to expand access to more Atlanta residents across clean energy and the broader skilled trades, but growth depends on partners willing to invest now, while the model is proven and the waitlist is real.

There's a role here for almost anyone reading this. Employers can hire directly from the graduate pool. Workforce partners and funders can sponsor a future cohort outright.

Elected officials and community leaders can help remove barriers to scale. Google's sponsorship has carried this program through two successful cohorts, the next chapter of West Atlanta's clean energy workforce will be written by whoever steps in next.

Ready to hire graduates, sponsor a future cohort, or partner with the CAST Collective?

Contact Jordan Roberts at jordan@blacksustainability.org.

This initiative was made possible in part through the support of Google, GRID Alternatives and sweat equity from the C.A.S.T. Collective to bring what the South needs.