Ulster BOCES means different things to different people. For Kevin Creamer, a graduate of the Ulster BOCES Clean Energy Training Academy (CETA), Ulster BOCES means “relevant, convenient, and inexpensive education that is ideal when you are thinking about a career change.” 

A longtime resident of Ulster Park, Kevin was well aware of the developing advances in solar technology because of his career in the construction industry. Owner of the construction business Shelter Homes of New Paltz, Kevin had begun exploring solar technology at the request of his clients. “I had done a few solar installations—mostly water systems—and the process interested me,” he recalls. As the construction industry was hard hit when prices of oil and gasoline began to skyrocket, Kevin began exploring his options when it came to solar technology. When he heard about CETA (previously called the Photovoltaic Practitioner (PV) Institute) offered through the Ulster Adult Career Education Center, a division of Ulster BOCES, it seemed like a perfect fit for his background and an opportunity to grow his career. 

In the fall of 2007, Kevin entered Ulster BOCES and began his CETA training. The experience allowed Kevin to become a New York State Energy and Research Development Authority (NYSERDA) PV installer and to begin the process of becoming a Certified Solar PV Installer under the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP). “The Ulster BOCES instructors were knowledgeable and professional,” Kevin says. “The Clean Energy Training Academy was a great experience.” 

Kevin wasted no time in putting his newly honed skills to use. In April of 2009, he opened Sunshine Solar Systems, directly across the street from the Ulster BOCES Career & Technical Center in Port Ewen. The company specializes in the sale, installation, and service of solar energy systems, and it is a career path Kevin truly enjoys. “I get to talk to people and do good things for them and the environment,” he says. For Kevin, his specialized training and industry knowledge means it has been easy for him to attract clients. “Once you say the word ‘solar’ everyone wants to know more,” he states. 

For Kevin, this transition in his career came at the perfect time. “Do something you have passion about and the money will follow,” Kevin advises fledgling entrepreneurs. 

In 2009, Kevin embraced a new opportunity made possible by Ulster BOCES. A Clean Energy Technology and Training Accreditation and Certification Grant was awarded to Ulster BOCES in the amount of $415,000. The funding was used for the Renewable Energy Training Apprentice program, a course that Kevin was hand-selected for and successfully completed. The new certification allows him to train new PV installers to fill a growing job niche. For Kevin, this has been an opportunity for both personal and professional growth. So far, he has already hired 15 Ulster BOCES graduates to work for him, and training new PV installers means he will be able to ensure a steady stream of quality job candidates. 

In September 2009, Kevin opened a second showroom in Rhinebeck. He takes great pride in the fact that all the products Sunshine Solar sells and installs are manufactured in the United States. “All of the money people invest in these solar system stays in this country,” he states. 

Even with the great success Kevin has experienced so far, he is not content to slow down. “Our vision is to open four more showrooms within the next two years,” he says. “I’m enthusiastic about helping my neighbors here in the Hudson Valley understand the tremendous advances in clean energy technologies and the substantial government incentives for resident, commercial, municipal, and agricultural applications. Thanks to Ulster BOCES I have a thriving career, and I can share that opportunity with others.”