Going All In As An Electrician Technician
Kevin Richardson had big plans for his life when he first started high school, but his personal circumstances made building a solid career a challenge.
At the start of his sophomore year, Kevin was asked to move from Los Angeles to Long Beach to help care for his uncle with diabetes. He would go to school during the day, then rush home each afternoon to help out. Shortly after high school graduation, Kevin’s uncle passed away and Kevin found himself with nowhere to stay.
“I graduated in Long Beach and was going to college a couple months after and it didn’t really pan out too well,” he said. “I was back and forth to places or would sleep outside. I had to go to the Long Beach mission. I was not able to attend school on most days because I didn’t want to go to school dirty, without a shower. It was a whole embarrassing situation. I ended up getting dropped out.”
Without a solid education to lean on, Kevin found himself working odd jobs. One of those jobs was helping his uncles with electrical work.
“That opened my mind to thinking maybe I want to do this. It was something I could see myself doing. I was just being a helper to them,” Kevin said.
Fast forward several years later and Kevin was married with kids. One night his wife was searching online and came across some information about UEI College in Huntington Park. She remembered Kevin’s experience doing electrical and encouraged him to check out the Electrician Technician program.
“I just want my children to be stable and not have to struggle like I did coming up,” Kevin said.
He decided to enroll and right away began to see the parts of the business he had not experienced before.
“A few things I know based on working with my uncles but being in the class and learning from the instructors and doing reading and SOAR online I see a lot more of the details of being an electrician and that was the part I didn’t get or know,” he said. “It has helped me refine my skills so instead of just being a helper, I can become a journeyman or a foreman. I can elevate myself in this career so I can provide for my family and not just survive month to month.”
The experience has been beneficial not only to Kevin but his whole family.
“My kids are even more focused in school now and more willing to do their homework,” he said. “My son sees that I’m coming home and reading or taking notes, doing my homework. It has inspired him to try to do his best.”
The best part of the program has been learning from experienced instructors.
“The instructors are very knowledgeable. It helps that they have experience in the field and aren’t just going by the book,” Kevin said. “They give us more details from their hands-on experience. Usually any questions I have, they answer to the best of their ability and I’m able to understand when they answer my questions.”
To anyone else feeling stuck in a dead-end job, Kevin said for him, it was all about waiting for the right time and not hesitating when it came.
“Go all in. Don’t take a half step. The results will be in your favor. You get out what you put in,” he said.
