YouthBuild Long Island Graduate Ivan Rodriguez Succeeds at BNL

Ivan Rodriguez, a graduate of United Way of Long Island’s YouthBuild program, and now Brookhaven National Laboratory student assistant, is on the path to a successful career in construction. Prior to his assistant position, Rodriguez was personally invited to be an intern at BNL where he worked with Natural Resources Manager Tim Green on a Sustainable Sites Initiative application for the Long Island Solar Farm. Now, he works at the Lab’s Facility Operations Center (FOC), which provides computer programs to assist in the planning, management, and administrative procedures required for an effective maintenance and asset management process.

“Ivan will be able to learn about all the key aspects of our system, and then we expect that he will assist our staff with work involving such items as work-order management, the preventive maintenance system, and facility inspections,” said FOC Manager Peter Eterno.

"Without YouthBuild, I don't know where I would be," said Rodriguez. “I am more confident today and look forward to a great career in construction and a positive future for myself and my family.” Rodriguez is also taking a course in construction management at Nassau Community College where he will work toward earning an associate’s degree.

YouthBuild Long Island is a free youth and community development program, and alternative school, that addresses core issues facing low-income communities: housing, education, employment, crime prevention, and leadership development. At YouthBuild, low-income young men and women, ages 18 to 24, work towards their General Educational Development diploma (GED) while learning hands-on job skills.

YouthBuild places a strong focus on Green collar job opportunities in Energy Efficiency, Renewables, Weatherization, Energy Star construction, and Home Performance. YouthBuild’s curriculum integrates academics with life skills. Students divide their time between a housing construction site, and United Way’s E3 Career Training Center: the Center for Energy-Efficiency Education, which offers high school/college readiness programs, construction training, job readiness, leadership development, counseling and job development.

Photo: Brookhaven Lab's Natural Resources Manager Tim Green and BNL Student Assistant Ivan Rodriguez review Long Island Solar Farm plans.
 

United Way of Long Island, together with its community partners, advances the common good by investing in and developing programs that address Long Islander's critical needs in education, income/financial stability and health. United Way of Long Island is recognized as one of the region’s most efficient organizations, with a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator and 88 cents of every dollar going to support people in need.