Construction: it’s not rocket science.

At least, that’s what Trevor Montgomery thought to himself, before he decided to join PCL Construction’s Solar Division (PCL Solar).

Rocket science was the goal initially, when Montgomery chose aerospace engineering as his degree at the University of Texas.

“I was a 17-year-old kid and I said, ‘Who wants to learn about civil engineering? Who wants to learn about concrete when you can go learn about rockets?’” recalls Montgomery. “And that is about the subtlety and thoroughness of the decision that I made back at that time.”

Montgomery graduated in 2014 and now works in a field that's far from where he began. He’s a project manager for PCL Construction's Solar Division, building solar facilities like the Clearview Solar Project in Quincy, Ohio.

From 2015 to 2020, he worked for a major American railroad, then went to an e-commerce and shipping giant in August of 2020. After a few years of that, it was time for a change.

It all started with a phone call from his stepfather, a PCL Construction employee.

“He asked me, ‘Have you ever thought about construction?’ And at the time, the answer was no,” remembers Montgomery. “And that got me thinking about construction, and the rest is history.”

He was hired in 2023. With the educational background of a rocket scientist, and the work experience of a railroader and shipper — Montgomery got to work.

“My engineering background and my education experience meant that I already knew what a photovoltaic cell was and how it worked,” says Montgomery. “I knew what reactive power was. I knew what DC versus AC currents are — all those things about electrical theory.”

And what he quickly learned was that it wasn’t just his engineering education, but also his previous work experience, that came in handy.

“It doesn't matter if you're talking about a rail car or an Amazon package, or a pile or a module or a tracker. Math is math. Numbers are numbers. Productivity is productivity,” says Montgomery. 

Harnessing solar power for electricity has been around for decades, but at projects like Travers Solar in Alberta, Stubbo Solar in New South Wales, Australia and Barrett Solar in Rains County, Texas (where Montgomery is working), the scale is unprecedented. And as the solar industry grows across the United States, Canada and Australia, finding the people to fill positions is a challenge.

“You don't necessarily find people that have a lot of solar-specific experience,” says Reena Nijjar, district human resources manager for PCL Solar. “So we look for people who have the work ethic, the right attitude, and who are willing to learn, willing to think outside the box, be creative and challenge the process — because those are all transferable skills.”

And Nijjar says the challenge of finding workers has actually created a net benefit when it comes to the overall make-up of the solar team. People from outside the industry have brought fresh thoughts and ideas.

“They see a different perspective,” she says.  “They're willing to take risks because they're jumping into new avenues that they may not have experience in.”

According to Nijjar, the key for PCL Solar has been a focus on hiring people for who they are, not just what’s on their resumes. It’s more than a helpful recruitment tool — it's a testament to PCL’s culture of putting people first, and an employee ownership model that gives each team member a stake in the company’s success.

“Truly a lot of it is just the right attitude,” she explains. “A rich diversity of education, experience and passion enhances our problem-solving abilities. It drives our innovation.”

Another example is Michelle Mahoney. 

After eight years of post-secondary education, an honors degree in Indigenous studies, a sustainability degree, a multi-year career in healthcare management, and raising two children, she started as an estimator with PCL Solar in Oakville, Ontario, in 2023.

“I’m really enjoying it,” says Mahoney. “I initially had some hesitation about my ability to excel in this role. However, thanks to the support of my incredible team and encouraging supervisors, I’ve not only discovered that I’m more than capable — I’m also continuously learning and thriving in an industry and field I never imagined myself in. It’s been an incredibly rewarding journey so far.”

Normally, estimators come from an engineering background — certainly not a foundation of arts education and healthcare management. But in Mahoney’s case, her supervisors saw her potential.

“Thankfully, my team is excellent,” says Mahoney. “Everyone's very good with my continuous stream of questions and they fully support me, so I’m beyond grateful for that.”

Mahoney has been taking courses on solar technology and construction estimating over the past year, with the support of her team. She says she’s glad PCL took a chance on her, and she’s determined to prove the gamble was a good one.

“I still feel so fortunate that somebody recognized that I could do this,” she says. “I feel like I'm part of a family and valued as a person, rather than seen only as a worker bee. I’m grateful they saw potential in me and were willing to give me a shot in a field that was completely new to me. Who knew I would love it?”

“It says to me that it's a company reading the room,” says Montgomery. “It's a company keeping the finger on the pulse of society. To me, PCL is showing that the people at the top are looking ahead — planning on being future-proof.”

For Montgomery, the practice of valuing personalities, intelligence and work ethic, and not just work experience, simply makes sense.

"I'll take somebody passionate about building cool stuff over somebody who's got a lot of experience building cool stuff that hates it any day,” he says. 

To people like Montgomery, Mahoney, and the rest of the team at PCL Solar, there’s something that feels magical about creating new things. Whether you’re constructing a paper airplane, a rocket, an arena or a solar installation — building things is fun.

“It’s so true,” laughs Montgomery. “And when you love what you do and think it’s cool, you turn around at the end of the day and have pride in what you did. If you don't fundamentally just have fun putting pieces together and looking at the result, I have to question, why are you even in this industry?”

From Nijjar, the message to the next Trevor Montgomery or Michelle Mahoney, wherever they are, is clear.

“At PCL Solar, we value passion. Whether you're an experienced professional and you have solar experience or you don't — truly, there's a place for you here.”