Despite growing up without a father, Rudy Garcia's resilience was forged in the fires of adversity. At 14, he threw himself into work, grinding through twelve-hour days, six days a week. By 17, he took on the responsibility of supporting his grandparents, moving in with them. Privilege was a foreign concept to Rudy—he lived the opposite, turning adversity into fuel for greatness. His relentless drive, a beacon of inspiration, is a testament to his unstoppable spirit. During his five weeks with us, Rudy drove daily from Selma to Fresno, arriving an hour early and sleeping in his car to ensure he wouldn't be late for class.
"That's something that I've definitely learned being here, you know... teamwork."
Reflecting on his five weeks of training, Rudy shares his trials and tribulations and what he's grateful for—learning a new skill while on a hot roof mixed with different personalities makes for a long day. Adversity, though unwelcome, serves a function. It can break a person down, or it can be the catalyst to build a person up. For Rudy, it's been the latter, teaching him the most valuable lesson we impart at IBT 200: the indispensable role of teamwork.
"Ugo's definitely helped me a lot... They've given me a lot of solid advice on how to move forward in the industry."
Another aspect of IBT 200 is professional development. Trainees spend a few days in the classroom working on resumes and mock interviews. But what about personal development? Although it's not written in our syllabus, personal growth does happen when we choose great instructors. We don't just trust anyone with our trainees. We carefully select only those who have a passion for teaching, knowing that their influence can shape a trainee's journey.
When trainees learn on the roof, the installation sites can sometimes be two hours away, and the drive back can be long and dreadful. But Rudy finds a way to take advantage of the situation and talks with his teachers. When graduation day came, Rudy was both excited and sad. On the one hand, it was the beginning of a new chapter, but on the other, he'd miss the car rides with his teacher, Ugo.
