A lot can happen in a few years. Ludwyng Catato was making minimum wage working retail and warehouse jobs with no end in sight. Only a few years later, Ludwyng is now a union commercial electrician with Big Slate Electric in San Antonio, Texas, with dreams to advance his career as a journeyman electrician and travel the world.
“I found out about Job Corps through family friends and thought, ‘This seems like a great way to get on track.’”
Ludwyng did not realize how far that track would take him.
He first enrolled in the Electrical training program at Inland Empire Job Corps. He learned the foundation of his craft, social skills and, most of all, patience.
“Tutoring classmates helped me learn patience. Helping them understand the material and keep up with their homework helped me understand and keep on track with mine too.”
While at Inland Empire Job Corps, Ludwyng also had the opportunity to participate in a work-based learning experience with staff, students and instructors in the center’s maintenance department. From electrical to remodeling projects, Ludwyng gained invaluable experiences he still uses in his career today.
Once Ludwyng graduated from the Electrical program, he immediately made the move from California to New York to enroll in Oneonta Job Corps’ Advanced Overhead Lineman program.
After completing advanced training, a Home Builders Institute representative found Ludwyng temporary housing, drove him to appointments and the store as needed, and helped him transition from Oneonta to San Antonio for his first full-time job post-graduation at Big State Electric.
HBI is a national training contractor with 66 centers nationwide and places about 80% of HBI Job Corps graduates in construction-sector employment or additional training programs, including registered apprenticeship.
“HBI helped me apply to the local union and get situated in my new environment. Now, I’ve been here a year, and I’m using a lot of the skills I learned at Job Corps, especially wiring and pipe bending. Understanding how each tool works gave me a strong start and lots of confidence in my career.”
His advice for new students:
Learn safety basics.
Establish good habits from the get-go.
Wear your uniform correctly. (Pro tip: “This is the No. 1 thing that will get you fired other than not showing up.”)
Pace yourself.
Learn what you need to, then jump into a job and continue learning.
Ludwyng is working toward his journeyman electrician license. Licensure requires 8,000 hours of work and a specialized test, and Ludwyng is determined to crush these goals, continue growing in his field and travel as much as he can in the meantime.
Graduated from Job Corps in: June 2021 Employer: Union Commercial Electrician, Big State Electric Hometown: Riverside, California Phone: 951-334-7651 Email: ludwyngjr@gmail.com Submitted by: Lydia Henry