A Trade Change Made All the Difference for Blackwell Success Story
Blackwell UBC Job Corps Carpentry Pre-Apprentice graduate Jasmine originally wanted to be a CNA.
After she finished the program, she tried it out for a bit and realized that healthcare wasn’t for her, so she returned to Blackwell with the goal of becoming a carpenter.
Being a carpenter requires a different kind of confidence than being a CNA, and it took some getting used to, but Jasmine hung in there. She did work-based learning at a couple of local flooring companies and was so good at it that Infinity Flooring asked her to stay on and train future WBL students!
After graduation, what Jasmine wanted was a good-paying Union career and she was willing to wait for the right opportunity, even though it was hard sometimes. Her instructors, known to their students as “Trapper” and “Acorn,” kept reassuring her the wait would be worth it.
Sure enough, HJ Martin & Sons came through with an offer and Jasmine is now working in Michigan as a United Brotherhood of Carpenters (UBC) apprentice!
In her own words, Jasmine added, “I would like to thank my wonderful instructors for always pushing me to my limits, even when skies were cloudy and I couldn’t see the outcome. When I got frustrated with them, they’d tell me just how it is without beating around the bush. They were always there for me when it felt I was in the dark, always there to help me get through hard times and guide me to help get better. Even when I was ready to give up on everything, they just sat me down and said ‘have patience, you are worth it!'”
Discover the Trade That’s Waiting for You!
The UBC Job Corps is your opportunity to discover a career that combines passion with practicality, where every day brings a new challenge and the chance to work hands-on to make a tangible impact.
Through work-based learning and mentorship, you’ll gain the skills and confidence to excel in a field that values creativity, resilience and hard work.
Let us guide you toward a fulfilling career path that not only promises a bright future, but also the satisfaction of building it with your own hands.
