TL;DR
Get backup power and energy gear delivered free with Prime
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
- Member-only deals all year
Chicago’s Safer Foundation trains people with criminal justice involvement for clean-energy work, including solar installation, while offering employment support and social services. The nonprofit says more than 100 participants earned clean-energy certifications in the past three years and 79 obtained jobs; the source does not specify how many of those jobs were in solar.
Chicago’s Safer Foundation is training people with criminal justice involvement for solar and other clean-energy jobs, pairing hands-on instruction with employment help and social services. The nonprofit says that in the past three years, more than 100 people earned clean-energy industry certifications through its training and 79 obtained jobs, though it did not specify how many of those jobs were in solar.
The training takes place at Safer’s headquarters on Chicago’s West Side, inside a building that also houses an adult transitional center. A former gymnasium has been converted into a two-story training home under construction, where participants practice building-related skills in a setting that includes exposed insulation and electrical fixtures. The program serves residents of the center as well as other men and women who have been involved with the criminal justice system.
Safer President and CEO Mark Yates described clean energy as a field with entry-level roles and opportunities to advance. He said experience in areas such as carpentry and electrical work can also transfer to other industries. The foundation’s employer relationships include utility-scale developer Millennium Solar Electric and residential installer SunRun, which can help connect participants with jobs.
Training goes beyond technical instruction. Safer provides workplace, diversity, financial-literacy and interpersonal-skills education, and participants can access services such as counseling and substance-abuse treatment. Training and employment account executive Katrice Harris said the foundation’s job-development staff build employer relationships and create agreements under which companies commit to considering or hiring participants and giving them a second chance. Safer also offers supports including help addressing childcare, transportation, mental-health and other needs.
A Route Into Clean-Energy Work
The program links two challenges: expanding the workforce for clean-energy industries and improving employment access for people with criminal convictions. For participants, a certification can provide a path toward paid work and skills that may apply beyond solar. For employers, partnerships with Safer offer a connection to candidates while the nonprofit helps address barriers that can make recruitment and retention harder.
The approach also recognizes that training alone may not be enough. People returning to their communities can face practical and personal obstacles alongside the challenge of finding an employer willing to hire them. Safer’s combination of instruction, job development and support services is intended to help participants address those needs while pursuing work. The figures supplied by the foundation offer a measure of activity, but they do not show wages, job retention, or how many placements were specifically in solar.
Products Worth Considering
Arlo Essential Wireless Security Camera 2K (3rd Gen) – 3-Cam Kit with Yard Sign
Samsung 48 4K OLED Smart TV (2026) with WireLogic 8ft Ultra High Speed HDMI Cable
eufy Security SoloCam E42 4-Camera Kit, 4K Solar Security System
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Illinois’ Clean-Energy Training Framework
Illinois’ 2017 and 2021 clean-energy laws established workforce programs that prioritize people from marginalized communities. According to the source report, those programs can include remedial education, professional and interpersonal skills training, and wraparound assistance. The state has a particular focus on including people who have been incarcerated in the clean-energy workforce.
Safer Foundation has worked with people affected by incarceration since 1972, providing skills and employment support. Its clean-energy training sits within that broader mission. Yates told Canary Media that some participants have spent long periods incarcerated and may need to learn everyday technology, such as using a smartphone, while also learning solar-related skills. Employers may be reluctant to hire candidates with convictions or gaps in work history, making the foundation’s employer connections a central part of its model.
Placement Details Remain Limited
The source report does not give the exact dates covered by the “past three years” of certification and employment figures. It also does not break down the 79 job placements by employer, job title, industry or whether the work was specifically solar-related. No information is provided about participants’ wages, how long they stayed in those jobs, or how many people began the training but did not complete it.
The report describes employer relationships and agreements but does not state how many positions are guaranteed, whether placements are full-time, or what current hiring demand is. It also does not provide a detailed budget or funding breakdown for Safer’s training. Those details would help readers assess the program’s scale and longer-term outcomes.
Training and Hiring Continue
Safer’s stated approach is to continue training participants and connecting them with employers through its job-development team. The source report does not identify a new launch date, expansion target or next formal milestone. Further updates would be needed to establish whether the program’s certification and placement totals have changed, how many participants enter solar-specific roles, and whether employer relationships lead to sustained employment.
Key Questions
Who does the Chicago program serve?
Safer Foundation’s training serves people with criminal justice involvement, including residents of an adult transitional center on Chicago’s West Side and other men and women returning to the community.
What jobs does the training prepare participants for?
The program prepares participants for solar and other clean-energy work. The source describes practical construction-related instruction and opportunities in the broader clean-energy sector, but does not list specific credentials or job titles.
How many participants have earned certifications or jobs?
Safer said more than 100 people earned clean-energy industry certifications in the past three years and 79 obtained jobs. The report does not specify the exact period or how many placements were solar jobs.
What support does Safer offer beyond technical training?
Participants can receive workplace and interpersonal-skills training, financial-literacy instruction, employment assistance and access to services such as counseling and substance-abuse treatment. The organization also helps address barriers including childcare and transportation needs.
Source: canarymedia.com
