How City of Refuge’s Auto Training Program Gave Isaiah’s Life a “Tune-Up”

“I See Change, and I am Change”: Isaiah’s Story

From Stalled to Cruising: How City of Refuge’s Auto Training Program Gave Isaiah a Fresh Start

Growing up with a single mom, Isaiah faced many challenges. He didn’t have much of a relationship with his biological father. And though his mother warned him not to become like his drug-dealing dad, for some reason Isaiah wanted to be like him all the more. 

After high school, Isaiah got into college. But around that time he reconnected with his dad and started going down a destructive path. “I just fell in love with the lifestyle of drug dealing,” he said. 

Isaiah ended up being arrested twice, and his future looked bleak. Everything changed when a friend of his learned about City of Refuge from a news segment on Fox 5. Eventually, Isaiah came to an on-campus orientation. He was immediately sold by the “great environment.”

So he enrolled in the NAPA Automotive Job Training Course, a free, 16-week program that provides technical training in automobile mechanics. “All I had to do was show up. And I said, ‘I can do that.’” 

In the course, Isaiah learned safety procedures, legal/ethical responsibilities, general service, hand tools, shop organization, and workflow systems. Two months into the program, he even got the opportunity to work at a dealership. 

“Thankfully the guys saw the potential in me, how bad I wanted it, and how serious I was taking it,” he said. “They allowed me to complete the program and blessed me with a toolbox and a job. I just love the guys and this program.” 

Today, Isaiah has a great job working as an auto mechanic and dreams of going back to college. 

“Coming here to get this skill and this trade is allowing me to set myself up financially so I can go to school…This is not the end for me. I have no ceiling in my head.”

Ultimately, Isaiah hopes his story of transformation will inspire others to do the same. 

“I see change, and I am change. I’m someone who shows you can change your mentality and circumstances, but you have to change that mentality first.”

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