Allegra W. lives in Texas and is a member of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 716. She is currently working on Cottonwood Bayou Solar, a 350-megawatt solar project. Allegra was featured in our report about the Inflation Reduction Act and its potential to transform the clean energy sector, create high-quality union jobs, and advance equity.
What is your job title and what clean energy project are you working on?
I’m a construction worker in Cottonwood, Texas. This is my first time ever being in construction. [This July] will be a year working there for me. My specific role is quality control, where I go through and make sure everything’s done right. That’s with [solar] panels, that’s with wires, that’s with clips, that’s with everything. When everything’s installed, we go back and verify that it’s properly installed, or needs to be fixed.
How did you get into this industry?
I was just trying to do something different. My cousin [said] you should come out and try solar. I went to the IBEW Local 716 hall and signed up. A week later they called me. I just jumped out there on faith. I worked in a school district for 17 years and I was just trying to find something different. It was really just trial and error, because I didn’t know what I was going to do. I ended up liking it. Overall, it’s good. It’s a good thing to work [on union projects].
Why is being a union member important to you?
I think it’s very important to be a union member. [Unions] take care of you. You have benefits, you have security. Working in [nonunion] construction, sometimes you don’t really get the benefits and you might not [consistently] have a job.
Why do you think that building clean energy is necessary for your community?
Solar energy is cleaner, it’s better, and it’s more efficient. I’ve lived in this area all my life, I’m surrounded by [power] plants. You get the fumes, you get the pollution, you get sick. It’s very important that clean energy comes in. You do feel the difference.
What does heat protection look like at your union jobsite?
They keep us provided with ice, they keep us provided with unlimited water. They always tell us to take a break each hour. We have cooling towers. If you feel like you’re getting hot, you just go to a cooling station, drink plenty of water, and stay hydrated. We also have a medic on call.
What’s your favorite part of your job?
Meeting new people and learning. They teach you a lot out there. I like the atmosphere of it, and just learning the different techniques and being taught [the job]. It’s interesting, you learn something different every day.
What do you hope you’re doing with your career three years from now?
I want to join the apprenticeship program and further my career in [construction] safety.
Do you know your next project?
There are a lot of projects coming up around here. Hopefully, I get transferred to the very next one. That just all depends on when we’re finished here. I would like to stay with solar.
This interview has been condensed and edited for content and clarity.
