Rebuilding Hope: Jerry Irvin Finds a New Career Path

How a single dad turned his life around and emerged stronger

by Whip Villareal

When Jerry Irvin joined the ValleyBuild training program, he was a single father living off unemployment benefits after his auto-body shop business folded as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns. He described this time as one of the darkest periods of his life.

Irvin knew he needed to make a change and decided to seek training to secure a job working in construction for the California High-Speed Rail Authority. He was referred to ValleyBuild where he met Ashley Matthews, Special Projects Manager for the Fresno Regional Workforce Development Board who recruited Irvin into the program.

Upon graduation, Irvin was offered a vacant position as a Project Coordinator for the FRWDB. He now assists with managing the Greater Sierra Forestry Corps and ValleyBuild programs, focusing on ways to enhance the programs and pay it forward to the next cohort of participants that join the trainings he helps oversee.

“If it wasn’t for ValleyBuild, I wouldn’t be in the position I am now.”

Jerry Irvin, ValleyBuild graduate and regional outreach coordinator for Fresno Regional Workforce Development Board

Matthews said that both programs are thriving under Irvin’s leadership and because of his success, he was recently promoted to Regional Outreach Coordinator.

“I met Jerry back when he applied to enroll in ValleyBuild,” Matthews said. “During his time in the class, I started to notice he was a leader among his peers and he was a mentor to the younger students not just on the training side but also on the personal side. He would give them advice, encourage them and pull from his past experiences. When it came time to graduation, I asked him to be the class speaker and he did a great job. He was approached by some staff from the city and asked to apply for some city positions. He was also offered an apprenticeship with the cement masons. He had a lot of opportunities.”

Irvin finds his new career fulfilling, noting it is rewarding to positively change and turn around the lives of those he recruits. He mentioned that the training programs continue to achieve great success and the number of participants is growing.

He credits ValleyBuild as the springboard that launched his life onto a trajectory of success. The program provided Irvin with comprehensive wrap-around support that enabled him to participate in the training. This included childcare, gas reimbursement, and assistance with his expiring vehicle registration. “The program was amazing and it definitely changed my life. If it wasn’t for ValleyBuild, I wouldn’t be in the position I am now.”

Training programs like ValleyBuild are funded by the FRWDB, through grants from the State of California, and cover 14 counties throughout the Central Valley including Fresno County. ValleyBuild is a six-week course based on multi-craft core curriculum that teaches a range of skills including electrical work, heavy equipment operation, forklift operation, OSHA training, and others depending on the specific program participants sign into.

To enroll, participants must be 18 or older, pass a drug test and have a valid California driver’s license. The program can also assist with obtaining a GED or driver’s license. These training programs target unemployed, underemployed and marginalized community members, including women, minorities, veterans and other under-served members of the community. This focus is crucial because these individuals often face barriers to employment and economic advancement. The training and career opportunities allow these individuals to move from poverty to a stable, living-wage job that can support their families and break the cycle of poverty.

Although there is a long wait list, FRWDB aims to eventually recruit an additional 500 individuals to the training programs over the next few years. Irvin is happy to help recruit the new participants and says that his experience makes it easy to build those critical relationships.

“I think the reason why I connect so well with the participants is because I can put myself in their shoes. I was in their shoes just two years ago,” Irvin said. “I know exactly what they’re feeling and what they’re going through. So when I hear their stories and look in their eyes, I know they believe me when I tell them that I need 6 months of their life for forestry or I need a month and a half for the ValleyBuild program to change their lives…they all believe me and sign on.”

Visit the Fresno Regional Workforce Development Board website to learn more about their training programs.