Miguel A. Berrios joined Building Futures after completing YouthBuild Providence (YBP) - a workforce development and academic program which assisted Miguel, who is 23, in obtaining his GED. “I joined YouthBuild because I didn’t have my GED; I went onto Building Futures to better my life.” Before entering Building Futures in 2008, Miguel had worked as a delivery driver for Pizza Hut and a salesman for a cell phone retail store.

Miguel had no construction experience outside of the training he received while at YBP; but he knew that participating in Building Futures would be his ticket to securing a career. “I knew that this would give me a chance to attend an apprenticeship that would lead to a long-term career in Masonry” and now Miguel is a member of the Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers (BAC), Local 3.

“Building Futures has helped me in a lot of ways. First it gave me the proper training I needed to understand the union world and secondly it gave me the support I needed to get my foot in the door”. Building Futures helped Miguel to prepare for his union interview and they also helped him with the pre-employment course he was required to complete as part of his enrollment into the apprenticeship program. The training took place at the International Masonry Institute (IMI) in Bowie, Maryland, which Miguel describes as, “an incredible experience.”

Miguel is now working on a new construction project on the grounds of Brown University in Providence, RI.