A call for diversity and inclusion in the renewable energy industry

Posted on October 15, 2020
State Rep. Will Davis (D-Homewood) is talking about the “Path to 100” bill(WJBC File Photo)

By Dave Dahl

SPRINGFIELD–Diversity and inclusion are words we might notice hearing more and more, and a Black lawmaker says it should extend to sun and wind power.

State Rep. Will Davis (D-Homewood) is talking about the “Path to 100” bill.

But Davis won’t be specific about the goals: “We are very careful” about that, he told an online news conference. “We don’t want to set a goal that we know we can’t attain.”

One person who says he knows how to hook people up with solar jobs is Kyle Barber, solar instructor at Illinois Central College in East Peoria.

“I see the job growth first hand,” said Barber, who says he has a decade of experience in the industry. “We have a very rigorous 200 hours of classroom time, almost, between classroom and hands-on,  that really gets individuals in Illinois up to speed to talk to the community, leaning toward more installation, more project development” – and, in turn, more jobs.

More information about the plan is here.

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