Success Story:
Carlos
Carlos, Michigan
Carlos The son of seasonal farmworkers who picked blueberries in the fields of Michigan, Carlos
learned about Telamon when a team from Workforce & Career Services (WCS) visited his high school. He was a youngman with a dream of owning his own construction company one day.
As Carlos began the transition from high school to post-secondary education, he needed career guidance. He felt
unprepared for the next step and at a disadvantage due to his economic situation. Even though he ranked third in his
graduating class, his family couldn’t afford to pay for college tuition. He was a good student with an aptitude for math
and he wanted to take higher level classes in engineering, his field of interest. He needed exposure to engineering
concepts, drafting programs, and basic business skills to achieve his long-term goals.
That’s when Carlos started his journey at Telamon’s WCS office in Michigan. Eligible for services through the National Farmworker Jobs Program (NFJP), he was connected to staff who quickly saw his determination and potential. Recognizing his academic strengths and ambitious attitude right away, staff member Guadalupe helped him to acquire a scholarship to assist with his college tuition. Throughout his college years, Guadalupe and Telamon staff provided Carlos with career guidance and access to financial support to help him complete his education. He was even able to do an internship working as an estimator for a construction company to gain hands-on experience in the field.
“Working with Carlos was an exciting and rewarding experience,” Guadalupe said. “He was a go-getter who was always organized, dedicated, and determined to succeed.” Despite the ongoing stress, disruption, and shutdowns caused by Covid-19 — including the loss of a job that helped him pay for basic needs — Carlos stayed focused on his long-term goals. In the fall of 2021, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering, graduating cum laude.
Carlos went on to complete the required 60 hours of prelicensure education and pass his Residential Builders License exam. Armed with the entrepreneurial expertise he gained while working with Telamon’s financial coach, he registered his own LLC. Carlos is the proud owner of RoseGold Construction in West Michigan. It’s a stressful and busy profession, but he’s honored to call it his own.
Carlos employs three people at RoseGold, including his dad, who help him to run his growing family business. With a full slate of projects on deck, Carlos has built a firm foundation upon which to continue pursuing his professional aspirations.
Telamon-TRC’s Workforce & Career Services encompasses a broad array of customized work readiness and job skill training programs, focusing on helping farmworkers, and youth who seek to build skills and career paths. Work readiness and job skill development are often supplemented by language services (ESL), educational support (GED) and includes one-on-one counseling, group workshops and supportive services.
Since 1965 Telamon-TRC has helped individuals like you access services that lead to better jobs, better lives, and better communities.
