Ross Weiner
Lead Solar Technician
Enel North America
Abilene, TX USA
“Everything in life is scary but at some point you have to master your fear.”
Videos
By Roadtrip NationRoss Weiner
Milestones
My road in life took a while to figure out.
I grew up in rural Iowa and my first job as a teenager was working in the corn fields.
After high school and into my 20s, I made a handful of attempts at college and tried out different majors but nothing really stuck, so I quit.
My last major was marine biology, which got me into the zoo and aquarium industry.
I spent 17 years working in the zoo and aquarium industry managing teams that maintained aquatic filtration systems.
After 17 years, I decided I wanted to make a career change and go back to school for wind energy technology.
After graduating, I got a job as a wind turbine technician for NextEra Energy Resources.
I spent six years as a wind turbine technician, working my way up to the highest technician level the company offered.
I transitioned from wind energy to solar energy and now work as a lead solar technician for Enel North America in North Texas.
Keep following my journey
Education
High School
Associate's Degree
Wind Energy Technology
Texas State Technical College
Wind Energy Technology
Texas State Technical College
Career
Lead Solar Technician
I manage a team of solar technicians at a solar plant.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Technology
Engineering
Accomplishing Goals
Day to Day
I get to the office at 7 a.m. to check my emails and catch up on anything that happened overnight. The technicians show up at 7:30 a.m. We start the day with a meeting where I touch base with all of my technicians, address any issues, and go over site and safety updates. The rest of my day involves a lot of calls and meetings. I also touch base with my field technicians. I spend the end of my day handling work orders that have been completed throughout the day and then planning for the next day.
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for everyone
If you're thinking about technical college, I recommend getting in touch with the faculty and asking for a tour. Go to the school and see for yourself if it would be a good fit. Speak to the instructors, tour the school, and see what kind of tools and training simulators they have. I also suggest taking advantage of internships. If a company or industry sounds interesting, apply for an internship and get first-hand insight into the work.
