Moving Up In The World

Lucio Martinez Trejo was no stranger to the construction industry when he signed up for the Construction Ready Pre-Apprenticeship training program at Perry Career Academy. He had already been working for his father’s framing company when the Covid-19 pandemic hit during his senior year of high school. When his father needed to return to their native Mexico, Lucio stepped back from school and took over the company’s day-to-day operations, handling everything from estimates to purchasing to material handling to invoices.

Still, he was determined to earn his high school diploma, and he set a goal of doing so before he turned 21. “I reached out to a couple of teachers from my old high school and they told me about Perry,” Lucio recalls.

As a PCA student, he could complete his diploma requirements online while continuing to run the business – and he had the opportunity to enroll in Pre-Apprenticeship training at the school. Lucio was impressed that the four-week program offered valuable credentials, all at no cost to him. By the time he finished in November 2022, he was very much, as graduates proudly proclaim, “trained, credentialed and ready to work.”

“When I got into the program and we started learning about OSHA and regulations, things like tying off and being safe about it, that kind of opened my eyes to the real dangers in the construction world,” Lucio says.

After graduating from PCA and Pre-Apprenticeship training, Lucio was hired by Apollo Primm Roofing, where he works as a roof service technician. His role includes assessing and repairing roof damage and leaks, and assuring that roofs are watertight after HVAC techs from outside contractors install new equipment. His work has taken him to various jobs around metro Atlanta, including some on high-rise projects overlooking the city.

“I’m a real hands-on kind of person,” he says. “I like going to a job and seeing the before and after of what my craft can do. I like the whole process of providing the customer with what they want.”

Lucio’s initiative and seemingly boundless energy – he even started a pressure washing business as a side venture – made an impression on Apollo Primm company management, who recommended him for a Graduate of the Year award in the 2023 Construction Ready Champion Awards program. He was one of three Pre-Apprenticeship graduates who received the award at a December 2023 breakfast.

“Everyone at Apollo Primm is thrilled to have Lucio as part of the team, and there is no one more deserving of the 2023 Champion Award,” wrote Lucio’s supervisor, Breone David. “He is an outstanding employee who embodies the qualities every roofing company seeks. His discipline, attentiveness, positive attitude, and communication skills make him an invaluable asset to our team. Lucio’s discipline and hard work is evident in his willingness to go the extra mile, often working early or late to ensure a job is complete. His attentiveness, positive demeanor, and excellent communication skills have garnered praise from both customers and colleagues alike.”