Kion and Ross IES

Never give up.

Kion was a convicted felon, whose back was against the wall. 

With no car to get to the work or schooling he needed, or the money to make it happen, he couldn’t see a path forward. 

“I felt like giving up,” Kion admits. “Sometimes I wanted more, but I didn’t know where to go.” 

What Kion ultimately wanted was to get his Commercial Driver’s Licence (CDL) to support his family.

When Ottillie from the Ross Career Advantage Program met him, she was struck by Kion’s determination to make this happen, and she wasn’t going to let him down.

It wasn’t always easy or straightforward for Kion, but Ottillie and the coaches from Ross IES - part of APM Group - stood by him every step of the way with the physical and emotional support he needed. 

Kion says, “There wasn’t any room for any excuses with them. If you didn’t have a ride, they give you a bus pass. If you didn’t have clothes, they give you uniforms and boots - whatever you needed, while paying for the actual course itself. They always had an answer to whatever your problem was.” 

“Sometimes I felt like giving up, but they made it impossible for that to happen.” 

With the help of the Ross team, Kion gained confidence to start his own company. 

Knowing firsthand how hard it can be to approach businesses to secure a job, he wanted to help people who had been through similar experiences he had. 

Now he’s helping and inspiring other people, like his employee, Deandre, who recalls, “With the program. I’ve seen it change his life. When he told me that, it made me happy ’cause I know if he could do it, I could do it.” 

Kion’s advice for anyone considering the program is, don’t stop. 

“They made it possible for me. This allowed me to be the best version of me, for everyone around me. You know, that’s the best feeling ever.”