David Guillen is originally from Moroleon, a small town in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico. At the age of 3, his family moved to Chicago and he spent the rest of his childhood raised between the two countries. A constant presence during this time was David’s older brother who taught him about auto mechanics. When David turned 18, he permanently settled down in Chicago where he continues to live to this day. David’s passion for auto mechanics continued, however he explored and excelled in adjacent career options throughout the years including plumbing, masonry, roofing, welding, and much more. “I’m really a jack of all trades!” says David. However, his true passion remained in auto mechanics, where he maintained a steady career presence for almost 20 years. During 2020, David was employed at a school bus company where he was just about to embark on learning the mechanics of the auto diesel system. Unfortunately, COVID impacted his position and David became unemployed.
David visited his local American Job Center in Pilsen, and National Able Network was ready to support him in his job search. David worked with two career coaches during his time as a client. Upon reviewing David’s experience and passions, his career coach suggested pursuing a certification via the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act program (WIOA). David says, “He explained how I could pursue anything! From a trade certification to a CDL [Commercial Drivers License], and he said it was a once in a lifetime opportunity.” As David discussed his passions, he decided that pursuing a heating and cooling certification would be the way to go. “I focused on homes especially heating furnaces, air conditioning, washers, dryers. It’s all about the technology of stuff,” says David.
With about 300 hours of electrical experience, David quickly earned his certification. He says, “The training helped me get my certification and it opened new doors for me in a new field.” With the help of his career coach, Khrefen Sackey, David fine-tuned his resume to better reflect his skills and experience. With his brand-new certification and more confidence in his resume, David looks forward to pursuing a career in the healing and cooling industry in 2024. David says, “Without my coaches I would still be just an auto mechanic, but now I have a certification that shows I’m knowledgeable in many things – especially in electricity. I am so thankful.” He continues to say, “I would tell anyone that’s unemployed to ask for services like National Able Network. Look at the benefits! Not just for a company but for you and your family. The more qualified you are and the more documentation you have to prove your experience, then you can provide a better life for your family.”
