Lori Mendoza is a big believer in building and bringing people together. As a mother of five, she has redesigned her home for her now-adult children to gather on holidays and big family events.

In short, Lori knows how to make things with her hands. But it wasn’t until she completed the BY Training program that Lori realized her dream of entering a full-time career in the construction industry.

Lori stumbled into information about the BY Training program online when she was down on her luck. She’d recently lost her job after not receiving accommodations for a work-related injury. She was filling her days with caring for her family and renovation projects on the house for her aunt, a four-time cancer survivor. So the idea of a free class that could help her break into the construction industry definitely sounded like something worth exploring.

Through the BY Training program in Gary, Lori learned for the first time that her keen attention to detail and easy connection with others would make her an excellent fit for administrative management in construction. Lori thought she’d never get a job she liked, but she has finally found employment where she feels valued and heard. Since March 2023, she has worked as a project accountant at Milestone Construction.

Now Lori goes to work every day excited to focus on the tasks assigned to her. And when asked about how she got to where she is today, she first and foremost thanks her aunt. “She’s the one who taught me to love others best. And that’s what the construction industry helps me do every day. If it weren’t for her, I never would have found BY Training.”

With her prompting, Lori hopes her nephew, son, and many others will experience the benefits of the BY Training program. Until then, Lori will celebrate by bringing her family together whenever possible.