From Intern to Full Time: How Sol’s Intern Program Helped These Talents Shine

From Intern to Full Time: How Sol’s Intern Program Helped These Talents Shine

Company Culture |
By Jennifer Hernandez

Each summer at Sol Systems, we provide an opportunity for undergraduate students and graduates who are passionate about the environment, sustainability, and renewable energy to join us for our Summer Intern Program. We offer intern roles for various teams in the fields of Structured Finance, Asset Management, Investments, Business Development, and more. Our summer interns work alongside our team members to learn how we build out, deliver, and maintain solar energy projects, amassing extensive knowledge and experience in the process. Sol interns develop skills to succeed in the solar industry while building relationships and forming a community of peers in the world of renewable energy. Many of our former interns have joined the team in full-time roles, and we’ve highlighted a few Solsters below about their internship experience in a Q&A.  

When did you join Sol as a Summer Intern and how was it different from other intern roles you’ve held in the past? What did you appreciate the most from the experience? 

Erin - I started my internship in the spring of 2019. I appreciated the one-on-one time that so many people carved out for me – frequent coffee chats with team members across the company were enlightening and encouraging, as I connected with so many people who felt that Sol was the right place.  

Juliana - I was an intern in the summer of 2018. The Sol internship program is special because it really gives interns responsibility - there's definitely a sense of ownership in the work you do. I loved learning from experts across the company and being able to contribute to the work Sol does. 

Alex - I started my internship in August of 2020. Outside of being virtual, the inclusive culture of the company from the top-down was the greatest differentiating factor from prior internships. I appreciated the support throughout the initial training stage in which I was empowered to ask questions and make pivotal decisions on real projects! 

What are one of your favorite memories from the internship? 

Erin - The intern presentations were hilarious.* We presented our semester's work at the height of Game of Thrones mania, and one of us sprinkled GOT puns throughout. It was a hit.  

Juliana - Intern day! It's so fun to see what other interns have worked on over the summer, and the intern games that the Sol team puts together are always great. Our intern class was really close, so getting to celebrate our work together at the end of the summer was awesome. 

Alex - One of my favorite memories from my internship was becoming an associate member of the JEDI team!** 

*Every summer, Sol holds an annual Intern Day, which culminates with presentations by each of our interns on what they worked on throughout the summer, which historically balance their impressive resumes from their internship with plenty of creativity and humor. We also break up into teams for “Intern Games” which test their knowledge of the solar industry and office culture, as well as fun team-building competitions. 

**JEDI is the Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion committee at Sol Systems 

What advice would you give prospective interns? 

Erin - Leave a good record of your project for others to use. The projects that are the focus of your internship bring lots of value to the team and will often continue to be referenced. It is a good way to leave a lasting impression.  

Juliana - Use an internship as a chance to learn about the industry and what you're passionate about! Interning at Sol gives you perspective on a lot of different parts of the industry - make the most of it by reaching out to people whose work you’re interested in and ask lots of questions. 

Alex- I would recommend scheduling as many coffee chats with fellow Solsters as your schedule allows! 

Interested in applying to Sol as a summer intern? Check out our open positions and reach out with any questions you may have. 


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