Terrence Johnson had had a variety of employment experiences in education and logistics before he found BY Training. He even had been a facilities manager for a warehouse, but never felt he was valued.

So when he learned about BY on Facebook, he decided to give construction a shot. After all, it’s a growing field that is struggling to replace those who are retiring, Terrence says. Indiana is expected to add at least 5,000 construction jobs by 2032, according to STATS Indiana. Terrence decided construction was a field where he could put his math skills to use.

“Construction in Indiana is definitely the field to be in,” Terrence says. “There is so much going on. If the [Major League] soccer stadium happens, we’ll probably be involved in that.”

He completed the nine-week training course in July at Hawthorne Community Center, earning an NCCER credential as well as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration 10 Hour Construction Safety and Health (OSHA-10) card. Near the end of the program, he participated in a BY job fair. He received multiple job offers, and ended up signing on with a stairway contractor as a project engineer. He liked that the company was a minority-owned and women-owned firm. He started work the same day he graduated from BY.

The job has been a perfect fit so far. He’s learning the construction field while also sharing with his colleagues the inventory expertise he gained while working in logistics.

“I’m loving it,” Terrence says.

The job is close to home and allows him to leave early enough to take his son to basketball practice and get to his own coaching job at Lawrence Central by 4:15. With no more weekend shifts, he enjoys the extra time with his children.

“That’s something I looked forward to, having control of my future,” Terrence says. “Now I’m more financially stable, the pay is better and the benefits are better. I feel stress-free!”

He knows education is the ticket to advancing his career. So he’s already looking toward the next step – becoming a certified detailer, so that he could draw up blueprints.

He gives credit to BY for teaching him resume skills and the basic principles of construction, as well as giving him the confidence to talk to general contractors about his career goals.

In high school Terrence didn’t learn much about the trades. They were pushing college, which can lead to piles of debt and isn’t the answer for everyone, he says. He wishes he had known then that some construction jobs pay $60,000 in the first year.

To someone curious about BY, Terrence’s advice is “Just do it! It’s two nights out of the week. It’s definitely worth the time. I know people who do crazy things on those nights. If you can go to the club or sit at home and watch TV for four hours, then you could definitely make time for these classes.”

Stories like Terrence’s wouldn’t be possible without support from Lilly Endowment – Thank you!