Erlin Valesquez grew up in a family of builders in South Chattanooga and has always loved working with his hands — especially on projects where the results of his efforts are seen quickly.
“Most people I know work in carpentry or some other type of construction,” Valesquez says.
Although Howard High School has its own construction training program, Valesquez heard in his sophomore year at Howard about another training opportunity that would give him both a job and a college degree. So he spent part of his junior and senior years at Howard going to Chattanooga’s Construction Career Center, which provides vocational training in building trades for both high school and adult learners.
By spending part of his last two years in high school going to the construction career academy along with about 70 other students from various Hamilton County high schools, Valesquez earned two semesters of college credit at Chattanooga State Community College toward his construction management degree.
“I learned a lot and there are great teachers here working in a variety of jobs,” Valesquez says during an interview at the Construction Career Center in East Chattanooga.