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Solar Institute in Lauderdale to train jobless veterans

July 4, 2012 - The U.S. Solar Institute, a Fort Lauderdale school, has been chosen by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to train former military service members without jobs in how to install solar-panel systems.

An initial 15 to 20 veterans a month from across the country are expected at the school starting in August for classes that can be completed in several weeks and on-the-job training that can last weeks longer, said Ray Johnson, the institute's founder and president.

The Institute plans to expand from its current 6,700-square-foot building serving about 30 students a month to meet demand from the Veterans Administration program aimed to help jobless veterans.

"We're almost all sold out in August and haven't even started advertising yet," Johnson said.

The approval comes as theU.S. militaryplans to expand its use of renewable energy to 25 percent of its energy needs by 2025, part of a policy to slash U.S. dependence on imported fuel and boost national security. Veterans could help install solar panels at military bases as part of that plan, Johnson said. read more>>>