I had the pleasure of attending my third Tesla annual shareholders meeting yesterday, at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California.  Among founder Elon Musk’s comments, one theme stuck out for me:  Tesla is growing, a lot.

Therefore, the company should be a great source for job opportunity for a long time to come… A solid good-paying job, and as a bonus:  Save the Planet!

Musk teased, for example, that Tesla is far along in prototyping electric semi-trucks and has secured buy-in on truck design from the trucking industry – which it wisely brought in early in the design process to hear their business needs.  Result:  The trucking industry is excited to not only get much-lower operating costs, it gets an ease-of-use design that is what truckers actually want.  The prototype will be unveiled this September, indicating Tesla is not letting the grass grow under its feet…

Simultaneously, Musk is pushing hard to compete in the lucrative SUV space, with an offering called the Model Y:  He expects it to sell in larger numbers than the family-priced Model 3 sedan set to release this summer.

Because their Fremont factory is bursting at the seams, both these products will require at least one entirely new auto factory, and probably a separate truck factory as well.  Job seekers in the automotive and construction fields should therefore watch Tesla announcements carefully for what plant-locations Tesla chooses, and consider moving to where the jobs are.

Tesla is going to need a lot more skilled labor… and not just in the auto and truck factories, but its energy businesses as well:  The company also plans to build three more giant Gigafactories, with Musk saying much more manufacturing capacity is be needed for homeowner battery storage of juice from Tesla’s new solar roof tiles.  As well, Tesla is growing its industrial storage product line for large grid-scale wind and solar storage at the community and regional levels.

Again, more jobs for manufacturing pros and construction workers.  But, Tesla is something completely new, and feels more like a software company than a simple hardware company… you can see it in the company’s outreach to young college graduates and interns with every technology skill set.  They, like Google and others, want to hire the best and the brightest.

This could be a very exciting place to be over the next few decades, and with the opportunity to acquire company stock, it could be a lifelong foundation for a prosperous family life.

 *                    *                    *

Not sure where to start saving the planet (civilization, really)?  Our Thesis is: “Start by deeply knowing your three personal Superpowers: ” 

1) To save the planet, CHANGE YOURSELF FIRST;

2) To save the planet, INVEST YOUR WORKING LIFE;

3) To save the planet, USE YOUR VOICE and take advocacy seriously!  Never miss a vote and never, ever stop influencing your government and all businesses locally, at the state level, and at the national level.  

It falls upon you to lead the way with substantive global warming solutions.

And in all cases and at all times, cast aside the learned-helplessness that infects so much of modern life… the time is now for climate change solutions.  No one else is going to do your part for you… never give up.

*                    *                    *