At the heart of our commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is the belief that everyone deserves a place in shaping the clean energy future.
Our Women in the Field initiative celebrates the skilled, passionate, and resilient women leading the way on rooftops, job sites, and in technical roles across the solar industry. By breaking barriers and challenging stereotypes, these trailblazers are building not just solar systems, but a more inclusive and equitable workforce. We’re proud to support and uplift women in every role, creating pathways for growth, representation, and lasting impact.
Andrea Lara
Hi Andrea! Can you share a bit about your journey in the solar industry and what inspired you to pursue a career in this field?
It all started when I graduated college in 2005. I had a pre-med degree in neuroscience and had the intention of going to med school, though not right away as I wanted a little “real world” experience before committing to another 4 more years of school. I realized that I did not have any “skills” and thought that a trade was a good field to explore in order to gain more marketable real world skills. The two trades that were most appealing to me were electrical and plumbing and with an interest in world health, getting clean water in and dirty water out was most inline with my values. I began a plumbing apprenticeship in 2006. It only took about 2 years of working in the plumbing trade that I was uncomfortable with the differences in culture in my trade (this was when I was one of very few women actually working in the trades). I met another woman working in the trades at a solar company and wanted to seek out employment that was more inline with my values and had other women working and so I started at Sun Light & Power in 2008.
What challenges did you face when starting your career in the solar sector, and how did you overcome them?
As I mentioned earlier, when I started my journey in the trades I was one of very few other women and had to develop a tough skin and had to “code switch” in order to work alongside so many men. I also had to look the other way when I received unwanted attention from my presence on the jobsite. When I started there weren’t any special considerations for women on the jobsite, so I also had to get used to not having facilities that were meant for me. I was also fighting against a cultural belief in the inherent differences between women and men, and it felt like a lot of people believed I did not belong on the basis of my sex. I had to work twice as hard in order to prove myself (and my gender/sex as a whole) in order to change the minds and beliefs of others that women are just as capable as men and could be just as good doing the work that typically only men had done. In terms of facing these challenges, I think I am just headstrong and believed that I was capable and belonged in the field just as much as men. I believed the struggles were worth it because I find the work so rewarding and I want more women to be a part of it.
As a woman working in an industry, particularly in field and on-site roles where women are often underrepresented, how have you navigated your journey and set an example for others?
In the very beginning I had to develop a thick skin and not be bothered by inappropriate remarks, attention and being viewed as different and not belonging. Once I felt more comfortable, I felt like an ambassador for women in the trades. I have gone on numerous panels, spoken to young kids and have had many one on one conversations with other women who were also curious about joining the trades. I also feel like I have been a teacher to other women and have shared my experience in order to make it easier and to encourage other women to start a career in the trades in the field.
Could you tell us about a specific project or initiative at Sun Light & Power that you led or contributed to that you’re particularly proud of?
This may not be the answer you are looking for, but I am proud of all of the work I have done at Sun Light & Power. Over the years I have had many roles and it has been such a positive experience to grow my skills with this company. I started out with only the knowledge of plumbing and working on residential solar thermal systems. As the company and I grew, I have shifted roles, becoming a foreperson for commercial solar thermal work. I have stuck with it enough to have the expertise to become a solar thermal service technician, troubleshooting all sorts of types of systems throughout the bay area. As I transitioned a little more out of the field I realized I could extend my knowledge to PV and have helped grow the residential PV department as one of the first project managers and now am acting as a split solar thermal and PV superintendent in our commercial operations department. It has been a long journey and I have been proud every step of the way and so grateful to Sun Light and Power to provide the path of growth and evolution that has been my career so far.
How do you think the solar industry can encourage more women to pursue a career in this field?
I think Sun Light & Power has been at the forefront of encouraging women to pursue careers in the field. It was because un Light & Power already had women in the field when I joined in 2008 that made it so compelling to work here. Since then, Sun Light & Power has given me time to speak to STEM classes and High School summer programs in order to encourage more women to have careers in the field. Visibility is really important, and even this newsletter highlighting a woman’s experience will hopefully encourage more to join. I think the industry can be strategic in their hiring practices and hire all the women they can.
How do you envision the role of women evolving in the solar sector in the coming years?
I just hope that more and more join the team and get out into the field to keep demonstrating the equality between men and women working physically demanding jobs. There has always been an ebb and flow in the presence of women in the field at Sun Light & Power and I envision a future with women having more opportunities and roles in leadership in the coming years.
What advice would you give to young or aspiring women professionals looking to enter the solar industry?
Please join! The ride is a bit of a “solar coaster” but work that makes a difference in decreasing our carbon footprint and bolstering renewable and sustainable energy is very rewarding. It feels very good to be a part of building a brighter future for ourselves and the entire planet.
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