Michael Novoa wasn't sure what the future had in store for him, but when he heard about Fresno EOC's local conservation corps, it sparked a new motivation.
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"I hadn't finished high school because I had dropped out when I was 17," said Novoa. "Once I heard about this place, then I heard job training and I could get my diploma, I was like why not knock out 2 stones at one time?"
LCC offers paid vocational job training, giving students a second chance at finding a passion and a career.
"They don't say, go do this and don't show you," added Novoa. "They show you and you always ask questions more than one time."
Corpsmember like Michael, who lack a high school diploma, can enroll in the onsite charter school and high school graduates who join the program enroll in college classes that are offered each semester.
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"Me coming back here, they gave me a second chance to relive my high school and finish," said Novoa.
From there, Corpsmembers are shown a variety of career paths, including landscaping, solar or for Michael - recycling.
"We tell employers, these are what these young people have gone through. If you want to give someone a second chance, this is a second chance or a first chance," said Patrick Turner with Fresno EOC's Employment Services.
Applications are open. You can apply here.