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Change has become the standard in this economy for organizations, individuals and sometimes-whole cities. Downsizing, subcontracting, merging and closures have created an environment of fear and uncertainty. Five years ago, a manager I worked with said to me he was looking for job security. My immediate response back then was job security is an illusion. You make your own job security by constantly furthering your education making yourself more valuable. That is even truer today than back then. A career path that assures long-term security is no longer a reality for this generation.
Resiliency is the ability to bounce back from setbacks and work through conflicts and challenges without giving up. This series for Boots On The Roof is about the change that would occur over the next twenty-four months in my career and the sequence of events that lead me into the world of photovoltaics. In last week’s posting, I covered how I landed on the doorstep of Boots on the Roof. Sadaf Siddiq, one of several Boots admissions representative, was always quick to respond to each question and request, making the process of entry flow effortlessly. Whenever I look at a company or a process, I view the experience through the critical eye of a person who thinks marketing and customer service. Throughout the whole process of my interaction with Boots, I marveled at the genius of the group of people who had set up and were running the Boots program. In no time, I was enrolled in both the 4 day Solar for Sales Professionals class as well as Boots signature 6 day Solar Boot Camp all starting the second week of August. Why enroll in both? In my experience, customers and companies like to deal best with professional competent people. Why not give yourself every available edge in this overly competitive employment environment?
Boots On The Roof made getting a solar education easy. In my customary Midwestern skepticism, I checked on the preparations to verify that Sadaf lined everything up, as she promised. The hotel immediately summoned my name in the computer and confirmed that all arrangements we exactly as discussed. Considering Sadaf’s stellar performance throughout the process, I would have been surprised had I uncovered something out of place.
About a week before class was to start, I received a FEDEX package containing my books, study disk and information pertaining to my time at the school in Fremont, Ca. I passively glanced through the material, realized immediately this was not going to be like any course or certification I had completed in the past. The textbook was comprehensive and methodically covered the solar business from one end to the other. This is a serious course for people who want to be one-step ahead of the competition in the world of photovoltaics.
Since I live in California, I chose to make the drive to the hotel in Fremont where I would be spending the next two weeks. Because I have traveled extensively throughout my career, I understand the need of a good night’s sleep so I am a little fussy about where I stay. Because of this, I admit that I was more than a little concerned when I initially learned the cost of the hotel in the bay area was substantially less than $100 per day, which included breakfast and a happy hour buffet. Looking at the accommodations on the internet, I was a little more assured, but hotel pictures and descriptions have misled before me so when I arrived at the Chase Suite Hotel, I was relieved. True to form, Boots must have negotiated a very competitive rate for well above average accommodations. I was quickly checked in. My hotel room consisted of a full kitchen stocked with pots, pans, silverware and plates. The living room was complete with an easy chair and fireplace, large king bed in a separate bedroom and full bath. The hotel does not provide daily house cleaning service but limited service every other day, which is fine by me especially considering the great price. Shuttle service to the hotel is provided and they will even grocery shop for you with your list while you are away. The only thing missing to make my temporary home complete was the Irish Redhead that I called my wife.
The big day arrived and I walked into the front door of Unitek to attend the first Boots sales course. To my surprise, after I signed in, I was greeted and escorted to the classroom by one of the admission representatives who pointed out the lunchroom, where to get coffee and the head as we walked. The school was laid out efficiently, polished and clean with no detail overlooked. Nice class act touch I thought to myself as we walked through the quick tour and I was deposited in the classroom.
The classroom was a modern comfortable setting specifically designed for learning with a flat screen monitor, computer at every station complete with boards and a built in projectors for the teacher. About 20 min or so before class was to begin the instructor; SWarrived and introduced himself. I was impressed from the beginning with the attitude of not just SW, but of all the staff, as they really were concerned about me and interested in helping me fulfill my long-term goals.
As introductions went around the room, the student sitting next to me from Texas told everyone that he had taken the previous week off and read the textbook cover to cover. What a smart idea, I thought to myself, considering the complexity of the subject. We were then off and running. SW began walking the class down the solar road using his considerable experience and expertise in sales and system design deftly guiding us through the course.
Boots On The Roof is breaking barriers and gives you everything, no holds barred… and I mean everything. SW took us in detail into the inside world of solar business, sales and marketing solar. You really have an opportunity to get into the guts of the solar business. I love to listen to experts on a subject who enjoy what they do and can articulate the information in a fashion that everyone can understand. I spent the next 4 days filling a notebook and soaking up every word that came my way out of his mouth. I was thrilled! I later told my wife this is the place to be if you want to be in the center of solar sales or installation.
I am not new to the world of adult education having extensive post-graduate training over the last 20 years working for some of the largest building product manufactures in the country. One of those companies was recently selected #1 by Fortune magazine. However, everything I have experienced up until now pales in comparison to the quality education Boots was putting in front of me. The information presented was interesting, the work challenging and boots made me feel like I was part of a group of people committed to improving our lives, and the lives of our loved ones. The educational process is a mix of classroom, laboratory and outside hands on experience. A comfortable blend that really prepares you for solar sales. With the patience of Job, SW did a great job teaching the class. Everything ran like a clock. Lunch was a quality meal designed to provide the students with brain fuel. At the end of each day, SW was more than willing to stay and work with each student one on one that needed extra help or answer questions.
”One door closes, another door opens. It is all about action. When something ends – a job, a relationship, one’s good health – you just don’t stand by and wait for something good to happen. You can’t depend on luck or anybody else to pull you out of the situation. You must use your own efforts to push a new door open, kick it open if you have to, using that setback as an inspiration to move ahead and make a new beginning for yourself.” — Arthur Pine, One Door Closes, Another Door Opens
A couple of days now to digest and organize the vast amount of information that was given to me over the previous 4 days at Boots sales course. Next… Boots 6 day Solar Boot Camp.
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- Alumni Update: Guest Blogger – Change Is An Inside Job Part III, Lessons Learned The big day is finally here, Boots-On-The-Roof 6-Day solar training PV boot camp. Having just completed the PV sales training I was looking forward to a more in-depth understanding of residential solar retrofit. Self-talk is the constant stream of conversation we carry on with ourselves inside our head as...
- Alumni Stories: Guest Blogger – Part I Many thanks to our first Alumni guest blogger for sharing his story! Enjoy!! Part I. Change is an inside job. Looking back at December of 2007 while writing the 2008 operating budget for the company I was working for it is still hard to imagine the dramatic economic events...
- Boots Alumni are Getting Real Solar Jobs! Boots on the roof has been slowly adding to our list of alumni (Alumni on YouTube), and were always excited to know that our alumni are using the training they received with us to get real quality solar jobs. Every day last week during Solar Power International we encouraged...
- Boots Alumni Doing Great! Boots on the Roof revels in being able to share the great successes of our alumni with the world! Renewable Energy education of any variety is only as valuable as the work students are able to begin after class’ completion. Fact- Boots on the Roof Alumni are working all...
- Selling Solar to the World Its amazing how many great companies are coming out that aim to make thousands of affordable solar panels for us all to put on our homes, but a key part of the process is being largely overlooked. Solar sales people are in a rather short supply. And unfortunately they...
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They also have a really nice online program! Check that one out!