Ruiz, 27, is set to graduate in May with an associate's degree in electrical technologies with a photovoltaic, or PV, concentration. The degree is part of the only accredited PV program in the state.
Ruiz — who is enrolled in the program with his younger brother Max Ruiz, 19 — is about to graduate at a time when clean energy jobs are growing at more than twice the rate of overall U.S. employment, according to a 2024 report from the U.S. Department of Energy.
CNM instructor Marlene Brown, who teaches the accredited PV program, knows the importance of adding solar panel installers to the workforce.
"I've been in Albuquerque over 30 years, and solar has grown the whole time — and it continues to grow," Brown said. "You know the big systems out on the highway? They need people to install that stuff."
Brown has a steady stream of employers interested in hiring her students. This includes Positive Energy Solar, which has collaborated with her class in the past. The company has offices in Albuquerque and Santa Fe.
Christopher Fortson, marketing director for Positive Energy Solar, called Brown's class "the premier, hands-on training" for solar technology.
"The future for solar is continuing to expand, and we're going to need people who can hit the ground running with those skills," Fortson said.
PV PROGRAM
Ruiz and his peers in Brown's program are aiming to be either solar panel installers or electricians in a solar company, depending on how much education they have, according to Brown.
"Some of (my students) will go into the (solar) field; some of them won't," Brown said. "But even if they don't choose a job directly in solar and they work for an electrical company, they will see (solar panels) out there.
Max Ruiz, like his brother, dreams of being a journeyman, a job in which he envisions being sent to a house or CNM to install solar panels.
"Solar is a super-reliable job — recession-proof," Max Ruiz said.
Inside CNM's Ted Chavez Hall on Wednesday, students developed a plan to install eight solar panels on a makeshift roof on wheels, which was tested outside Thursday.
"It's not bad; they're pretty light," Sebastian Ruiz said.
HIGH UPFRONT COSTS BUT CHEAP BILLS IN THE LONG RUN
There may be good reason for Brown to help produce more solar panel installation workers. Brown, a retired Sandia National Laboratories employee, said solar panels can be easily marketed.
"Even though the conversion of sunlight to electricity is only 15 percent, people are very interested in solar electric (and) offsetting their electric bills," Brown said.
The average cost of installing a residential solar panel system is $29,360, which can be reduced by close to $10,000 through federal tax credits, according to a report from NerdWallet, a personal finance company.
The cost of installation, however, can vary by state. In New Mexico, installing a home solar panel system can cost $18,594, the NerdWallet report added. On top of federal tax credits, New Mexico offers its own incentives, including up to $6,000 in credits off equipment and installation costs.
Sebastian Ruiz hopes people in his state are not intimidated by the installation cost.
"(The price) may be a little bit more, but in the long run, it definitely saves you money," he said. "The way I see it, the sun's always going to be out."
©2025 the Albuquerque Journal (Albuquerque, N.M.). Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
