“Skilled Trades 4u” Turns LA’s Homeless & Incarcerated Into Today’s Skilled Graduates
Skilled Trades 4U graduates with Ed Roche, Founder, and Rev. Boyd, Pastor, First AME Church in Los Angeles on Thursday, June 16, 2022 at Skilled Trades 4U first graduation ceremony. Photo by B. Parks Jr.
LOS ANGELES—Thanks to Ed Roche, Founder, Skilled Trades 4U, 23 “Skilled Trades 4U” graduated on Thursday evening at the Skilled Trades 4U headquarters located at 2614 S. Western Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90018.
These 23 men, who are fighting to get past the obstacles of their past incarcerations and/or homelessness, graduated from the non-profit trade school, “Skilled Trades 4u”, after a successful 10-week program that has ended with most of them becoming federally licensed in air conditioning (HVAC) maintenance and at least half of them already securing jobs.
Over the 10 weeks, students received 10 hours of instruction per week and 50 hours of on-the-job training, which included working on HVAC systems, welding, job safety and customer service.
Ed Roche, Founder, Skilled Trades 4U and some of the 23 men who graduated on Thursday evening with skills to become federally licensed in air conditioning (HVAC) maintenance. Photo courtesy of Bernard Parks Jr.
All 23 graduates have already passed the Federal Universal Exam to install and repair residential and commercial HVAC systems under the teachings of Ed Roche, who founded the school.
Ed Roche and one of his students during graduation. Photo courtesy Bernard Parks Jr.
Roche also provided each graduate with $4,000 worth of tools, which will be needed for their new careers. Roche, an ex-Marine, who graduated at the top of his class and owner of Patriot Energy HVAC, started the school as a way to give back to the community by providing marketable skills and high-paying job opportunities to people with limited options. Roche and his wife used $250,000 of their own money to pay for books, tools and test fees. And, fundraising is underway to assist future students. If anyone is interested in contributing to the next “Skilled Trades 4u” class session, or any other one in the future, please go to the website: https://skilledtrades4u.com for more information
Source: Bernard Parks, Jr.
