Once caught up in the grip of addiction and crime, Manuel Garcia has just turned his course in the direction of a more secure future. The native of Aurora, Illinois, has been progressively establishing a profession in cement finishing after previously working odd jobs to support his three children. Through his connection with MnDOT and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), he has been able to access workforce training programs that are essential to his new position.
Garcia was exposed to the trade at a young age because his father had a construction company. But as people became older, they became less inclined to start from scratch. His father’s counsel led him to return to the roots of his childhood and examine the value of labor unions. Garcia followed through and made a disastrous call to the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LiUNA). At forty, he was reluctant to be called an unskilled laborer, even if he was keen to have a career.
He was persuaded to enroll in MnDOT’s cement masonry-laborer program by Sylvia Garcia, DEED’s employment and training specialist, since it would prepare him to start as a cement finisher. Garcia enrolled in the demanding six-week course after demonstrating competency on the evaluation test. Even though he had some expertise from working with his father, the program was a learning curve that required both fresh information and perseverance.Garcia remarked that the training “is tough,” according to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. You must desire it and grow from your errors.
Garcia has been working on important projects like the roundabout at the intersection of I35 and Hwy 19 during his first year as an apprentice with Legends Concrete, which has its headquarters in Rochester. As he walks by this physical evidence of his hard work, he exudes pride and frequently tells his kids, “that’s something that I helped build,” according to a bulletin from the Minnesota Department of Transportation. His experience serves as a reminder of the transformational potential of tenacity and the significance of support networks in changing one’s course. In April 2025, DEED is expected to start their next cement masonry-laborer training program, which will be the next chance for people who want to take a similar route.
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