In the third episode of The Business and Industry Podcast, Youth Ambassador Jenni Silfies sits
down with Paul Hodges, co-founder and CEO of Soltech Solutions. This podcast aims to motivate
high school students and job seekers to equip themselves with the skills and information
required to be successful in their future careers by exploring different job options and pathways.

Soltech was founded to promote sustainable indoor farming. They created The Aspect, the world’s
first LED grow light that blends functionality and design. Today, they continue to innovate and
inspire people to bring nature indoors with their plant lights. This small business reaches far beyond
the Lehigh Valley, manufacturing products that are shipped and used worldwide.

Soltech Solutions is housed in a business incubation center, which provides assistance and tools to
startup companies and early-stage companies. This has helped the Soltech Solutions team focus
on their business’s growth.

Career pathways are visual representations of a company’s workforce ladder, helping students and
prospective employees learn about career opportunities. Soltech Solutions has a career pathway
available to Lehigh Valley students on kiosks throughout the area’s schools. The Lehigh Valley
Workforce Board partnered with Soltech Solutions to create a career path to help them find qualified
employees and link job seekers to potential openings.

Hodges works with his team to create a creative atmosphere that employees like going into each
day. The work environment at Soltech Solutions is rooted in inspiration and Hodges prides his team
on having a strong company culture. Work culture not only keeps employees engaged but also aids in employee happiness and employee retention.

Hodges also discusses the importance of education and personal character in seeking and keeping
a job. Learn more about what he has to say in the third episode of The Business and Industry
Podcast. The complete episode is available on YouTube, so you can listen there or wherever you like
to stream podcasts.

Be sure to check back for future episodes to learn about Lehigh Valley employment options, career
pathways, and training opportunities.