Moray-based solar power manufacturer AES Solar has created 10 new jobs over the past 18 months – despite Covid lockdowns – as people seek to use more renewable energy.
The company has confirmed another five new jobs are also being lined up.
Founded in 1979, AES Solar is one of the oldest manufacturers of solar thermal collectors in western Europe.
They now offer solar photovoltaic, EV and battery storage solutions alongside solar thermal.
The Forres-based team has doubled in size over the past five years and currently has 28 members of staff.
New starts include an operations coordinator, graduate electrical engineer, solar installer, and a solar electrician all joining the company in the latter half of 2020.
The company said despite the impact of Covid-19 and being forced to stop non essential operations in April it was fully operational by August with no redundancies during this time.
Renewables sector ‘exciting’
George Goudsmit, AES Solar managing director, said: “There is no denying these past 18-months have been hard.
“I am so delighted to welcome these ten new members of staff to the team. Their fresh perspective and ideas will benefit staff, customers, and the local community alike.
“The renewables industry is an exciting sector to work in and it’s here to stay. Its resilience to the Covid-19 pandemic has shown that.
“This is part of a larger picture and a growing acceptance to tackle the climate crisis.”
Opportunities for young people
AES Solar is also a supporter of the government Kickstart Scheme which is designed to provide work placements for young people looking for work.
The company has used the scheme twice, to fill both manufacturing and administration positions. AES Solar also backs modern apprenticeships.
Utilising the scheme nine times to date, an additional warehousing modern apprentice was hired in 2021.
A more recent addition to the team includes a full-time maintenance coordinator. In September AES Solar also welcomed their first female engineer.