Skilled trades 4u
Technical training course graduates

More than a dozen graduates are one step closer to becoming heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) technicians after passing a nationally accredited exam, thanks to the non-profit organization Skilled Trades 4u. Founded by Ed Roche, an ex-U.S. Marine drill instructor and his wife Kiana Fleming, the organization aims to provide a better life to inner city men and women who have fallen on hard times by offering a free 10-week training course. The class, intended to help students master a skilled service, includes 10 hours of instruction and 50 hours of on-the-job training in Ductwork, Welding, Soft Soldering, Troubleshooting Package and Split Systems. Upon completion, students receive a free set of Top-of-the-Line tools and a 608A federal license. 

"Graduates who have completed the course are earning up to $45 per hour," said Roche, who owns Patriot Energy HVAC. "The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects a 15 percent increase in jobs in the HVAC sector by 2026, so the field is lucrative and stable."

Graduates from the program include a stage-3 brain cancer survivor, a recovered drug addict, and a former homeless ex-convict. Among the graduates is one woman. Women only make up 1.4% of the HVAC industry. 

For Adrian Martinez, who dropped out of high school because he suffered from brain cancer and seizures, the training was just the refresh he desperately needed after having a life-saving surgery to remove a tumor from his brain. He was one of only 22 individuals accepted to the program out of hundreds of applicants. 

"I didn't care if I died because I was going through so much," said Martinez, who now works as a trainee for a heating and cooling company. "I knew I needed to do something different." 

Since the launch of the program early this year, Roche and Fleming have used their own money to run the nonprofit. Now, the couple is seeking partners and donors to help maintain cost of the program. 

"This training has literally saved people from homelessness, and even death in some cases. We want to continue providing the course to help these individuals get off the streets and provide for their families while also helping to meet the demand for technicians. Without financial support, however, we can't continue," Fleming said. 

The program has collaborated with community pillars such as First AME Church of Los Angeles. To learn more about Skilled Trades 4u and how to help, visit https://skilledtrades4u.com/, email Ed@skilledtrades4u.com or call 1-800-68SKILL.