Description
Aaron Valencia is living proof that the skilled trades can change lives. After overcoming addiction, homelessness, and incarceration, he found stability and purpose through hands-on work – first in house painting, then in classic car restoration. The trades didn’t just give him a second chance, they gave him a future and the chance to change the trajectory of others’ lives. That experience inspired him to start Lost Angels Career Center in Lancaster, California, a nonprofit offering 12-week vocational training for underserved and at-risk youth. Using classic cars as the hook, the program teaches welding, bodywork, mechanics, CNC machining and composites—while also instilling soft skills, structure, and a deep sense of community. The program boasts a 97% graduation rate and a 95% job placement rate, with many alumni moving directly into careers in aerospace. A forward-thinking force in workforce development, Aaron is vocal about dismantling toxic job site culture, building retention through empathy, and creating a more inclusive, purpose-driven path for young people.
In this interview we cover:
> Aaron’s path into the trades: From poverty to getting into classic car restoration
> How he's rebuilding lives through classic cars
> Breaking down the stigma around blue-collar work
> Accountability, developing this next generation's soft skills & second chances
> Toxic job site culture and what needs to change
> Community as the catalyst in helping young people
> You can go anywhere: Your past doesn’t define your future
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Guest info:
Aaron Valencia, Executive Director & Founder, Lost Angels Career Center
Connect with The Skilled Project:
Founder, Amanda Luchetti; ✉️: amanda@theskilledproject.com
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