General Questions
We’re glad you asked! We operate two high-impact programs fighting climate change and working to provide economic opportunity to those in our communities most in need.
The Climate Careers program employs and empowers local youth to provide no-cost Green House Calls to local residents in 20 communities throughout the Bay Area and San Joaquin County. At each Green House Call, a team of two youth Energy Specialists provide residents with an energy and water assessment, energy and water saving installations (light bulbs, showerheads, etc.), and further conservation tips, all at no cost! The resident gets a valuable service, the environment benefits, and the youth get paid employment, training, mentorship, and a wonderful summer experience. Remote Green House Calls are also available; for details, please visit our GHC page.
Our Opportunity Build program serves low-income adults who are un- or under-employed, providing them with hands-on training for careers in the construction trades. The program spans 12 months, beginning with the 10-12 week core training class and including case management and job placement and retention support. Opportunity Build is a certified construction training program, providing interested participants with a path to union apprenticeship in the skilled trades. All participants receive eco-literacy training and all construction components are taught with an emphasis on energy efficiency.
In addition to these important programs, Rising Sun engages in broad-based partnerships to advocate for green workforce development and environmental justice throughout the region and the state.
Yes, Rising Sun Center For Opportunity is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Our Federal Tax ID # is 77-0359133
Our support comes from a combination of government, corporate and utility contracts; corporation, foundation and government grants; sponsorships; and individual contributions.
The best way to support Rising Sun is by making a contribution to our work. Sign up to our newsletter for updates and additional ways to engage!
Youth Participants
You do if you:
- Are a hard-worker looking to learn and work in an exciting and meaningful summer job
- Are between the ages of 15 and 22
- Live in one of the communities we serve
You do if you:
- Reside in one of the nine Bay Area counties or the City of Stockton
- Are between 15 and 22 years old
- Are committed to working four days a week
- Are committed to learning in a supportive environment!
It’s easy! Just submit your application online. We’ll include links on our jobs page when we’re next accepting applications.
As an Energy Specialist, you’ll report to work at your site office each morning where you will pair up with your partner, collect the equipment you’ll need for your appointments, and head out into the field to provide Green House Call services to local residents who have pre-arranged the appointment.
At each appointment, you will provide the resident with:
- A basic energy and water assessment
- Installation of energy and water saving devices such as light bulbs and showerheads
- Energy and water saving tips and education
This is all provided to the residents at no cost! Don’t worry, you’ll be thoroughly trained before you go out into the field so by the time you’re in someone’s home, you’ll be a water and energy efficiency expert.
As an Energy Assistant, you’ll build no-cost Energy Efficiency (EE) Kits and guide clients through the pre- and post-processes of
receiving an EE Kit.
You will:
- Work in small, socially distanced groups while wearing a mask to build EE Kits that will be mailed to eligible clients
- Remotely assist clients over the phone, via email, and on video with the Green House Call Survey to determine EE Kit eligibility
- Remotely assist clients over the phone, via email, and on video with installing EE kit measures such as LED light bulbs, smart power strips, high-efficiency showerheads, high-efficiency bathroom and kitchen faucet aerators, and more
We hire youth in all nine Bay Area counties and the City of Stockton.
LIFT stands for Leader in Field Training, and is a position available to former Energy Specialists looking to increase their leadership skills and gain additional work experience within the Climate Careers program. There is one LIFT for each Climate Careers site. The LIFT supports the Summer Program Managers and serves as a mentor for Energy Specialists while ensuring the smooth operation of the site and helping provide weekly professional development.
Adult Participants
Opportunity Build is FREE to those who meet the following eligibility requirements:
- Be at least 18 years of age
- Have a high school diploma, GED, or equivalent
- Have a valid CA ID or driver’s license
- Demonstrate an 8th-grade reading, reading comprehension, writing, and math level
- Be legally eligible to work in the United States
- Be fluent in English
- Have a stable living situation
- Be able to attend training every day, as required for each training date class
- Have reliable transportation to and from training
- Express strong motivation to find a job and/or enter an apprenticeship upon completion of training
- Be willing to make a 12-month commitment to your own professional development and to Rising Sun
Opportunity Build training is FREE!
- Attend an info session
- Fill out an application
- Take the Test of Adult Basic Education
- Submit documentation to verify eligibility
- Participate in a one-on-one interview
If you are interested in applying to participate in the Opportunity Build program, fill out this simple application or contact Opportunity Build Senior Program Manager Marlin Jeffreys at 510-665-1501 ext. 342 or jeffreys@risingsunopp.org.
Green House Call Recipients
Our Climate Careers program provides energy and water efficiency services, called Green House Calls, to households throughout the Greater Bay Area and City of Stockton.
The best part? It won’t cost you anything. Really. Take part by completing this 15-minute survey.
You’ll receive the following energy- and water-efficient equipment at absolutely no cost:
- Up to 16 LED light bulbs, standard and floodlight
- A smart power strip ($70 value)
- High-efficiency bathroom and kitchen faucet aerators (same pressure, less water)
- High-efficiency showerhead(s) (same pressure, less water)
- A toilet leak detection test
We’ll also send you information about additional energy-saving programs, including the BayREN Home+ Program.
It won’t cost you anything. Really.
Any PG&E residential customer who hasn’t received the Green House Call service at their residence in the past five years is eligible (don’t worry, we can look that up for you) for either in-person or remote service. Currently, in-person Green House Call service is offered exclusively in the following municipalities:
San Francisco County
- San Francisco
San Mateo County
- Daly City, Millbrae, San Bruno, South San Francisco
Alameda County
- Berkeley, Emeryville, Oakland
Sonoma County
- Santa Rosa
Santa Clara County
- East San Jose, Milpitas
Cities in the above counties but not listed are eligible to receive a Green House Call kit, but are not within the radius of our in-person service area.
Additionally, the following cities are not on the PG&E grid and are therefore excluded from our range of service (in-person or remote):
- The City and island of Alameda
- The City of Santa Clara
- Palo Alto
It really is! California utility ratepayers pay a small Public Purpose Program charge on their bills that go back to conservation programs, including Rising Sun’s workforce development program, Climate Careers.
We partner with the Bay Area Regional Energy Network, local municipalities, water districts, and other local organizations to bring Climate Careers Green House Calls to local residents.
To receive a Green House Call, fill out this survey or call us to complete the survey by phone: (510) 665-1501 ext. 300
We ask for feedback from every customer we serve. 99% of our customers rate their Green House Call as good or excellent. Here’s what a happy customer had to say:
“The Climate Careers program is a great program for both educating the community about energy conservation and giving young adults an opportunity for leadership—win-win!”
Your Green House Call can take 30 minutes to two hours, depending on the size of your home.
Rising Sun was founded in 1994, and we’ve been providing the Bay Area with Green House Calls since 2000. Today, we work in ten counties, and more than 50,000 homes have benefited from our Green House Calls. Our Energy Specialists are youth who live in your city who we personally train and support throughout their employment.
We educate our employees on environmental sustainability, customer service, and technical skills while providing them with jobs in the green sector. That means that by getting your Green House Call, you’re also helping your community. Our Climate Careers youth Energy Specialists work in teams: one young adult, aged 18 to 22, and one youth, aged 15 to 17. We are an accredited green employer with full workers compensation and liability insurance.
For Employers
Rising Sun’s Opportunity Build program produces graduates who are eager to succeed in the world of work.
Opportunity Build Core graduates:
- Are OSHA 10 and First Aid/CPR certified
- Can identify and properly use the tools of the construction trade
- Have basic carpentry skills
- Have experience framing walls, installing windows and doors, hanging and patching drywall
- Have experience conducting a residential energy assessment and installing efficiency measures
- Have applied math competency
- Have a basic understanding of apprenticeships and the building trades
- Are professional and job-ready
Opportunity Build Solar graduates:
- Have basic construction skills
- Know the tools of the trade and the components of a solar system
- Are comfortable working on a roof
- Have hands-on experience installing residential solar systems
If you’re interested in learning more about our Opportunity Build graduates or if you have a position to fill, please contact our Senior Manager of Construction and Labor Relations here.
Rising Sun has an active Employer Council that works with us to ensure that our curriculum keeps up with industry needs. We would be happy to discuss our curriculum and your needs with you further. If you would like to get involved, we can also discuss participation on the Employer Council. Please contact the Opportunity Build Senior Program Manager here.
We know that it’s in the best interest of our participants, Rising Sun, and you, the employer, that we place only qualified candidates who are ready for employment into your open positions. We will work with you to learn about what you are looking for in an employee and send you only those candidates we feel confident can fill your needs.
We will continue to work with graduates placed in your employment for up to a year, helping them overcome any obstacles they may face and supporting them as they adjust to your workplace. We’ll also check in with you regularly to make sure the employment is going well and address any issues you may have. We won’t ever just place an employee and disappear. We’re focused on long-term success and strong employer relationships!