This month is Workforce Development Month, making it a great time to showcase one of NOVA’s many workforce success stories. Meet Aurora Rodriguez! She is among NOVA’s 31 Google STAR (Skilled Trades and Readiness) program graduates. The first cohort started in October 2023, and Aurora graduated with the second in April 2024.
Funded by Google, the five-week, paid pre-employment program aims to build a pipeline of skilled trades workers from underrepresented populations. The bootcamp-style program combines classroom instruction, hands-on practice and construction site visits to teach skills from various trades, including electrical, carpentry, HVAC, welding, plumbing and fiber optics. STAR even offers professional networking opportunities to help students secure entry-level jobs.
Read on to see how the STAR program has been life-changing for Aurora.
Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background. I was born and raised in Alexandria, Va., and I’m a proud first-generation American citizen. My family is originally from Honduras. My mother arrived here in 2001 — shortly after 9/11 — which was a challenging time to immigrate. She took English as a Second Language (ESL) classes at NOVA’s Alexandria Campus, which helped her integrate into her new community and eventually get a job.
My mom understood the importance of early education and enrolled me in a Head Start program when I was two or three to help me learn English. We only spoke Spanish at home, so Head Start gave me the educational foundation to succeed.
How did you find out about the STAR program?
My boyfriend was working as an ironworker at a construction site when he heard about an opportunity to learn the skilled trades, including welding. Since I’d been interested in NOVA’s welding program, he encouraged me to sign up for an information session. I got out of work late on the evening of the session, so I considered skipping it — but my boyfriend urged me to go anyway. And I’m glad I did, because I ended up enrolling!
Tell us about your unique experience with the program?
While interviewing for the Google STAR program, I was identified as a good fit for electrical company J.E. Richards, one of the program partners. They offered me a position, and I had the option to start work immediately or do the program. I chose the latter; it was important for me to be a student and have access to all that the program offered while knowing I already had a job.
Our classes ran from March 2024 to the end of April. Classes ended on a Friday, and I started my new career that next Monday!
How has this program impacted your life?
It completely changed my life! I had a good position with UPS Stores before the program, but I also knew I wanted to return to school — which wouldn’t have been possible if I’d stayed with UPS. I felt stuck and wasn’t sure how I’d ever be able to move forward with my career. … It felt like taking a leap of faith!
Tell us about your experience with the NOVA Google STAR program.
I loved my teachers. Honestly, it was so interesting to be back in a classroom setting, especially since I graduated from high school during the pandemic. I left school in March 2020, never returned in person and finished my degree online.
In the STAR program, you do hands-on work and then visit a job site. The instructors want you to get a feel for the kinds of environments you’ll be working in. You wear the boots, safety protection and everything else required on the job site. The experience was the same for plumbing and HVAC. The program instructors really tried to translate our hands-on learning and classroom knowledge to our visits to the job sites. That helped us become more comfortable and prepared for the real-world conditions we’ll face in our jobs.
Do you have any final thoughts?
I always encourage people to explore the trades because they offer a great option. If you’re unhappy with your current job or if things change unexpectedly, having skills in the trades can be a safety net. There’s always a demand for skilled tradespeople, especially as older generations retire and fewer new workers enter the field.
I feel incredibly fortunate to have benefited from the STAR program; it allowed me to skip several steps and secure a job that many others might still be working toward. It’s been a fantastic experience!
If you want to learn more about the STAR program, please send an email to STARworkforceVA@gmail.com.