SDHC Achievement Academy Helps Teen Find Career Path

 

 

Lesly’s new full-time job as an airport security guard opens up opportunities for the 19-year-old, who dreams of a career as a police officer or a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent.

“It makes me happy that I get to do what I do, which is to serve and to protect and to keep the community safe,” said Lesly, who started her security job after completing a program she heard about through the San Diego Housing Commission (SDHC) Achievement Academy.

Lesly was hired after finishing a career-training program in security and protective services at San Diego Job Corps, a federal program for low-income students.

She completed all of the coursework in four months — an impressive feat given that the self-paced program’s typical completion time is eight months to a year.

Lesly — who graduated from high school last year — said that before enrolling in the program, she felt like she wasn’t making any progress toward her career goals of becoming a law enforcement officer.

“I was working part-time and I wasn’t getting enough hours, and I was struggling a lot to find myself,” Lesly said.

The teenager said she is thankful to SDHC for helping her to find a career path and for providing her family a stable and affordable home. Lesly’s family has received federal rental assistance from SDHC since 2013.

Lesly lives with her mother, Terry, and three siblings ages 10-25. She said her job helps her contribute to the household’s finances, helping her mom, who recently secured full-time employment.

“I think it’s great I’m able to have this job so that I could be able to help my family,” Lesly said.