Kyle’s Turning Point

Kyle has always been a hard worker, but some of his past decisions have limited his opportunities. He started working in a local muffler shop when he was 11 years old. It was here that Kyle realized his love for construction. He excelled in math in high school and was on track to a successful construction career.

During his senior year in high school, however, Kyle got mixed up with the wrong crowd and got into drugs. He was eventually arrested and sentenced to 3 months in jail. This started a cycle of going in and out of jail that lasted for the next few years.

In 2011, newly released from jail, Kyle learned about Hope Builders from a friend and decided to apply. While he was waiting to be called in for his enrollment test, however, Kyle found a job working for a family friend. He decided to withdraw his Hope Builders’ application, thinking, “I need the money more than I need to go back to school.”

After several years of bouncing from one minimum-wage job to the next, in 2015, Kyle, now a dad of two, again applied to Hope Builders. This time, he was determined to enroll.

“My sons and their mother live close to Hope Builders, so I would pass by all the time. I just kept thinking ‘what if?’”

Now 28, he knew that this was his last chance.

“I have three friends who’ve completed Hope Builders, so I know that this place can open doors for people who really work hard. The resources alone are great. I know it’s just what I need to show everyone I can be amazing.”

Kyle is currently enrolled in Hope Builders’ Anaheim construction training cohort. He wants everyone in his class to keep up with the rigorous curriculum and he helps his peers study math after training hours. When he completes his training, Kyle hopes to start his career in construction, “After working so many years and not getting ahead, my hope for 2016 is that I will have stability, be able to rent my own place, and have benefits for my kids.”