Alana was devastated when she found out she wouldn’t be able to graduate from high school on time, feeling that she was letting herself and her family down. But she also knew that her high school hadn’t been able to provide her with the attention and support she needed to succeed. All of that changed for Alana when she joined our program, saying “People cared here, they have the time and the space to create relationships where they really care about their students.”

Even though Alana had to leave PYB’s full-time program early so she could work to support her family, she continued to get support from PYB staff after her work hours so she could pursue her educational and career goals. Alana completed her GED and worked with her career coach, to achieve her dream of becoming an electrician. She says, “I came to PYB knowing what I wanted to do, but I didn’t know how to do it, and PYB laid it out for me.” Her career coach helped Alana gain hands-on experience in electrical work, enroll in a Pre-Apprenticeship summer program, and then get accepted as an Electrician’s Union Apprentice.

Today Alana is proud to be halfway through her 5-year apprenticeship program. She is a trailblazer, successfully navigating the many challenges she faces as a woman of color and paving the way for others like her to succeed in the trades.