22-year-old Arizona native Trenton Kelly had his share of ups and downs before moving to Las Vegas and coming to Sierra Nevada Job Corps.

“Before I discovered the program, I had not done well,” he says. “To be honest, I let my life go down the drain; a lot of heartbreak, a lot of dead-end jobs, and constant stress with my family. I suffered from severe depression and anxiety. I felt like I was headed nowhere. Then, I found what I was looking for.” 

Trenton, a soft-spoken and articulate building construction technology (BCT) student, is another example of a student who has benefited from the integrated wrap-around training services provided by Job Corps, even at the height of Covid-19.

With the help of Sierra Nevada Job Corps Work Based Learning (WBL) Specialist Aly Cleveland, Trenton was able to connect with Kromer Investments, a regional property management company, to help maintain and upgrade Home Suites, one of their properties.

“When my Kromer supervisors heard I was from Job Corps, they gave me the opportunity to work full time for them. They’re amazing mentors. I think they like hiring Sierra Nevada WBL students. This is a really good job. I’m learning how to repair, install, and switch out a lot of things. I have a chance to succeed, and I intend to stay here with Kromer, if they’ll let me.”

Trenton has nothing but praise for Sierra Nevada Job Corps.

“Job Corps gave me a second chance, pure and simple. I lived on-center free of charge from May 2019 until March 2020 when the center sent the students home on leave [because of COVID-19]. I think people like me just need to be shown a path and a quiet shove to get you going. That’s Job Corps, a good place for those who didn’t grow up in a good family, or those who didn’t have the money to go to a good training school, or those who didn’t get a good start right out of high school…like me. Eric Hoffman, my BCT instructor, is the best teacher I ever had.”

When interviewed, Eric returned the compliment.

“Trent is a great young man. He always jumped in and did what he needed to do to help get the job done in BCT. Trent is going to make it far in life because of his will to learn. He was never one to stand around. He always had a tool in his hand and was working. Trent was a leader in class and always helped the new students with hands-on training.” 

Trenton’s advice for entry-level work: “I’m not embarrassed by starting small at the bottom and working my way up. I figure you have to learn to take orders before you give orders.”