Joe immigrated to the United States when he was 18 years old. He says it was difficult coming to the US because he was leaving his country and family, along with his customs and heritage. Immigrating to America, Joe had to learn new customs and meet new people. However, he didn’t look at his situation as an obstacle, instead he used it as an opportunity to learn and overcome challenges.
Coming to America, Joe had no technical skills, but needed to find a job to generate income. He was able to secure a job in carpentry, specifically wood framing. He used this as a springboard to find various jobs and learn different trades, which allowed him to develop additional skills and become a more flexible worker. Joe came to La Plaza in 2022 because he wanted to begin a career in construction. Through La Plaza, Joe was able to complete the BY Construction program, as well as earn certifications in OSHA-10 and NCCER Core, while receiving coaching services on education and finances.
Natively speaking Spanish and working alongside other Spanish-speaking work crews, Joe needed to find additional community resources to learn English. After connecting with La Plaza and taking advantage of the services offered, he was able to study and learn English and has a goal of speaking the language fluently. He says that learning English has improved his communication with management and supervisors. “La Plaza offers many opportunities and programs, but it is up to the person whether they want to take advantage of them or not,” said Joe.
In addition, Joe came to the United States with no credit established and after eight years of using a debit card, he opened a credit card which he used to build credit toward buying a home. After enrolling in Indianapolis Neighborhood Housing Partnership’s (INHP) Match Program, Joe was eligible for the Bridge to Homeownership program. Using these resources, he purchased a mobile home, paid it off and now only needs to pay land rent. Stories like this showcase why the important work at La Plaza and other Indianapolis Bridges sites are so important.
La Plaza is one of seven neighborhood-based agencies that belong to the Indianapolis Bridges to Career Opportunities (Bridges) Network. Building on LISC’s digital skilling, coaching and navigation work within our Financial Opportunity Center (FOC) model, Bridges is a LISC program that provides a pathway to financial stability for individuals who are facing the highest systemic obstacles to opportunity in our economy. Established in 2016, the Indianapolis Bridges Network helps hundreds of families each year achieve financial success by taking the reins of their economic and professional lives.