CRAFT Training Turns Student’s Life Around
An enrollee in the Home Builders Institute’s Project CRAFT in Tampa, FL, has been named Turnaround Student of the Year by Hillsborough County High School Youth Services.
Chosen for the award from 400 nominees and 11 finalists, Lamieor Billings came to Tampa to begin a new life following three years of incarceration by the Illinois Department of Justice. He was found not guilty after appealing his case.
“Even after spending three years behind bars, his attitude remains positive,” said HBI Employment Specialist Lori Wilken. “His advice — it is dangerous to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, and pick your friends wisely. Lamieor has truly been an inspiration to all of us.”
Following his training in the crafts trades, Billings is looking forward to a career in Florida’s residential construction industry.
A supporter of Project CRAFT/Tampa and its students, the Tampa Bay Builders Association highlights the program in its publications, invites staff and students to activities and actively participates in job placement efforts for the program’s graduates.