How DWS helped Carlos secure an apprenticeship transcript

Ryan Schmidt: The apprenticeship program offers you an opportunity to jump right from high school, jump right into the workforce, start making money, start putting money in the bank. It really gets you off on the right foot.

Carlos Mateo: What I like about being an apprentice is everybody has something to show me. I like how they're all taking care of me.

Steve Flores: Carlos just stood out. He was the only one that was truly ready, was just excited to come to work, and knew what he was getting himself into. I think when Carlos came in, I think he was in a factory. To our leadership, they see the value. They like apprentices. We want to train him well, and we want them to be saying, "This guy is awesome."

Ryan Schmidt: I think the apprenticeship is really the lifeline to the construction industry, and the apprenticeship program and the trades union are doing a lot to get out in the community, in schools, and get people involved and interested in the opportunities of construction.

Carlos Mateo: In five years, hopefully I'll be close to journeymen-ing out, or a journeyman, and start teaching the apprentices that come in.

Ryan Schmidt: Heard from his foreman that Carlos has just been doing an outstanding job. For some people, they don't want to spend the next four years in college and accumulate a bunch of debt, and the construction industry is definitely looking for people to jump on board. It's another option.

Carlos Mateo: Hopefully, I'll be just as good as the people that are teaching me. I knew I didn't want to go to college, and I also didn't know what I wanted to do. The reason I picked skilled labor is because I saw many things that interested me in this field. For me, it was carpentry. For you, it may be plumbing. So if you're feeling stuck and you don't want to go to college, a career is what interests you more, try looking into the skilled work you want to do.