Moore is currently enrolled in NCCTI���s Building Trades Specialist program with aspirations to use the knowledge and skills he gains to become a business owner in the construction industry. He began the program in October and is on track to graduate in the spring. His release date from the halfway house is Oct. 27, 2023.

Ever since he was in his early 20s, Moore has wanted to gain the skills to build his own house. While in prison, he learned masonry and wanted to build upon that with a trade school, which is how he settled on the Building Trades Specialist program at NCCTI. He enjoys the program and is learning a lot.

���I love it here,��� he said.

Moore said that his instructor, Yusto Awich, is one of the best teachers he has ever had. He said Awich makes learning fun and challenges his students to help them reach their full potential. Awich has even helped Moore look up civil engineering programs, which he is researching for potential enrollment after graduation.

Awich said he is happy to have Moore in his class.

���Andre���s dedicated, on time and willing to learn and explore more than he���s taught,��� Awich said.

As a Building Trades Specialist student, Moore is also part of the , which is a partnership between NCCTI and that aims to introduce students to a variety of aspects of the construction industry and connect them to job opportunities. Rising Stars, run by Tremco employee David Hutchinson, brings guest speakers from the industry to the class weekly to discuss their areas of expertise and answer questions.

���It shows you what you���re capable of doing and what���s a possibility,��� Moore said of Rising Stars.

Moore said the earning potential in the building trades industry is unlimited.

���The income you���re capable of generating within the industry that this class teaches, there���s no ceiling to it unless you put a ceiling on yourself,��� he said.

NCCTI aims to help individuals, regardless of their circumstances, fulfill their goals and put them on a path to success.

���NCCTI sees its students and believes in its students. In our ability to fully see students, we are able to tailor instruction or address needs accordingly. We see Mr. Moore as the purpose-driven person that he has displayed himself to be upon starting the program,��� said NCCTI Director Dr. Sylvia McCray. ���We will continue to teach, expand and challenge him to meet his goal of obtaining a Building Trades Specialist diploma.���

The mindset of providing individual assistance comes through. Moore said staff members have gone above and beyond to help him sign up for the program and address any issues he has had.

���The staff has been there for me every step of the way,��� he said.

According to NCCTI staff members, Moore has shown that he is serious about his studies and completing the program.

���Mr. Moore is an enthusiastic, polite and devoted individual who has a clear vision of what he wants to achieve,��� said NCCTI Financial Coach Akeen Downes. ���He exhibits a positive attitude both inside and outside of the classroom. We are proud that he continues to be resilient and motivated while working towards his certification.���

In addition to becoming a business owner, Moore has a plan to offer more affordable housing in Newark, where he was born and raised. With his skills, he would be able to convert dilapidated and abandoned houses owned by the city into usable homes, which he says would be a win for families in need of affordable housing and for the city, which would be able to collect taxes on the properties.

Moore plans to maintain a relationship with NCCTI after graduation and use it as a source for workers.

���When I do make it, I know NCCTI���s a place that I can pull prospective and future employees from because I know what Mr. Yusto offers to a student who���s enrolled in the program,��� he said.

Moore is optimistic about the future. He looks forward to completing the Building Trades Specialist program and putting his plans into practice.

���Now I can move forward in life and become the success that I was always meant to be,��� he said.

NCCTI is an accredited post-secondary career and technical institution that is currently enrolling for the following programs: Automotive Technician, Building Trades Specialist, Medical Assistant Clinical, Patient Care Technician and Culinary Arts Specialist. NCCTI also operates a comprehensive Financial Opportunity Center and Bridges to Career Opportunities Program sponsored by the local and national Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) offices. For more information, call 973-824-6484, log onto or visit 274 South Orange Ave., Newark.

Those interested in enrolling in any of NCCTI���s accredited post-secondary programs should visit or call the school at 973-824-6484.

David Hutchinson came up with the concept for Rising Stars. He works for Tremco in Deep Energy Retrofit Development, which means his division works to retrofit existing buildings by putting new panels on existing structures and upgrading HVAC systems while limiting tenant disruption. The ultimate goal is to reduce carbon and energy consumption and the focus is primarily on affordable housing in the Northeast. His work brought about the idea for Rising Stars.

���I wanted to do something as an outreach and be more engaged in the communities that we operate in,��� Hutchinson said.

He pitched his idea to the president of Tremco in the summer of 2020 and received support. After many conversations internally and externally, Hutchinson was able to launch Rising Stars in March 2022 under the umbrella of Tremco.

NCCTI is one of three educational institutions to host the Rising Stars program for its inaugural cohort. The others are in Brooklyn, N.Y. and Boston, Mass.

���The program at its core is trying to expand the views and the opportunities that are present in the construction industry,��� Hutchinson said. ���We start with design and have an architect come in and really talk about what goes into sustainable green design or future design of projects and then also the career paths. So it always is an educational format but also almost kind of a career day at the same time.���

Guest speakers, who are volunteers Hutchinson has connected with during his career, visit once per week and share their experiences with students. In addition to Tremco, one of the larger groups involved is Turner Construction.

���We start very high level with design and we work all the way through to the trades where it concludes with trade day where we have people from the union hall and job opportunities presented,��� Hutchinson said. ���So for the participants that show the ability or have the want to, there is an opportunity to actually get employed by some of the speakers.���

That type of access is extremely valuable for students looking to launch their careers.

���We are proud to be a strategic partner with Tremco and this program is an excellent opportunity for our Building Trades students to meet industry experts across trades/professions while undertaking their studies at NCCTI,��� said 91心頭 Chief Operating Officer Fred Hunter.

NCCTI Director Dr. Sylvia McCray said Rising Stars got students excited about building trades and the possible career paths available to them.

���The program not only helps students to understand the business but also develops that connection and building in their creativity of thinking outside the box, breaking that stereotype that it���s just one job or one type of job,��� she said.

The Building Trades class had more females than males, challenging another stereotype.

���Allowing women to see themselves in nontraditional roles and that they���re able to build career paths and make a substantial amount of money taking care of themselves and their families, that was really important to me,��� McCray said.

The students were engaged and had positive experiences.

���I was impressed with the program because it exposed us to new technologies and new things that are happening in the construction industry,��� said Chinedu Arisa. ���For me, it changed my perspective about construction.���

Nicole Wilson raved about the program, saying it was very informative, had a hands-on component and brought in ���incredible��� speakers. She said she learned a lot and the program inspired her to apply for a job at Tremco. She landed an interview and is now waiting for her start date.

���Rising Stars helped me to a better future,��� she said.

NCCTI Building Trades Instructor Yusto Awich saw his students benefit from Rising Stars.

���The program is well structured and coordinated well,��� he said. ���The professionals who came were prepared and engaged the students well.���

McCray and Hutchinson plan to bring the Rising Stars program back to NCCTI in the fall. Hutchinson���s goal is to have two sessions per year, one in the fall and one in the spring. He has been asked to launch additional sites in other geographic locations, including Syracuse, N.Y., Orlando, Fl. and areas of Texas.

McCray is happy that NCCTI got to be one of the first institutions to expose students to the program.

���I���m really glad that we were able to show students that there���s more out there. And to whet that curiosity,��� she said.

NCCTI is an accredited post-secondary career and technical institution that offers the following programs: Automotive Technician, Diesel Technician, Building Trades Specialist, Clinical Medical Assistant, Patient Care Technician, Community Healthcare Worker, Culinary Arts Specialist and Business & Computer Technologies. NCCTI also operates a comprehensive Financial Opportunity Center and Bridges to Career Opportunities Program sponsored by the local and national Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) offices. For more information, call 973-824-6484, log onto or visit 274 South Orange Ave., Newark.

While Rouse was considering enrolling at NCCTI, he learned that school personnel help students and graduates find jobs in their area of study. That was a big positive for him and contributed to his decision to enroll.

When Rouse was halfway through the program, school staff members began helping him pursue employment opportunities. Because of the school���s relationships, Rouse was given the option of being connected to a roofers union or painters union. He chose the latter and interviewed with the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades. The interview went well and he was accepted as a first-year apprentice.

���I enjoy working with my hands,��� Rouse said. ���Sometimes it���s annoying and sometimes it���s aggravating but the fact that I love working with my hands, it keeps me going. Plus it pays well. And it���s something productive I���m doing.���

As part of the union���s three-year apprenticeship program, Rouse earns a $4 per hour pay increase every six months. Because the union rotates apprentices for opportunities, he also has his own construction business to have work in between union jobs.

Rouse said the education he received at NCCTI prepared him for work in the construction field. The Building Trades Specialist program provides instruction in a variety of areas, including carpentry, electrical, plumbing and finishing. An internship is also part of the program.

���They teach you those things and you can take those things out into the field with you,��� Rouse said.

According to NCCTI Director Rodney Brutton, Rouse was a very hands-on student who wanted to get out in the field quickly.

���He didn���t sit and wait. He was aggressive for his own success,��� Brutton said. ���He challenged us as a school to make it rewarding for him. He brought the best out of us.���

Yusto Awich served as Rouse���s instructor.

���Lamont is a hardworking guy with a lot of ambition,��� Awich said. ���If he gets a job, he will do it well.���

Rouse said he had a great experience at NCCTI.

���They���re here to help you find a job. They can���t get you a job but they���ll help point you in the right direction,��� Rouse said. ���Coming out, I had an opportunity that I wouldn���t have had going in. It was a success.���

NCCTI is an accredited post-secondary career and technical institution that offers the following programs: Automotive Technician, Diesel Technician, Building Trades Specialist, Clinical Medical Assistant, Patient Care Technician, Community Healthcare Worker, Culinary Arts Specialist and Business & Computer Technologies. NCCTI also operates a comprehensive Financial Opportunity Center and Bridges to Career Opportunities Program sponsored by the local and national Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) offices. For more information, call 973-824-6484, log onto newcommunitytech.edu or visit 274 South Orange Ave., Newark.

Building Trades students began working at Habitat of Greater Newark sites in March. They visit a site each Wednesday as part of their regular instruction. Habitat of Greater Newark offers a safety orientation and provides students with hardhats and the tools and materials that are needed to complete tasks associated with residential construction. This includes carpentry skills, framing out rooms, installing sheetrock and painting.

In addition to the real world training available on an active construction site, the students also benefit from sharpening their soft skills.

���The students learn the importance of teamwork, punctuality and taking direction from senior leaders,��� said NCCTI Director Rodney Brutton. ���If you are an entry-level carpenter, you have to take direction from a journeyman.���

The partnership is also beneficial to Habitat of Greater Newark, which receives assistance with constructing homes for recipients and helps train the future workforce.

���We are so pleased to be partnering with 91心頭 Career & Technical Institute (NCCTI) to train the next generation of workers in the skilled trades. Being able to deliver a quality home at an affordable price is extremely important to the Habitat of Greater Newark mission and we could not do that without the contributions of our partners in the skilled trades,��� said Habitat of Greater Newark Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey J. Farrell. ���NCCTI���s students will learn a lot from our Construction Manager Rick Casaretto and our Site Supervisor Alphonso Richards, and we hope to see NCCTI graduates back on our worksites as trained professionals in years to come.���

Theodore Brown is a Building Trades Specialist student who says working on the Habitat of Greater Newark site each week has been a good experience.

���It���s awesome,��� he said. ���It has taught me a lot.���

The experience has been so positive that Brown is considering staying with Habitat of Greater Newark after he completes the program at NCCTI.

Building Trades Instructor Yusto Awich previously volunteered with Habitat for Humanity in Maryland and suggested that his students could benefit from a partnership with the organization. He and Brutton reached out and the timing worked out well because Habitat of Greater Newark was looking for volunteers for a site in Livingston. Even when that project ends, NCCTI looks forward to continuing the partnership at new sites with new students that enroll in the program.

In addition to the actual construction of a house, Awich said his students have participated in a variety of jobs, including landscaping, cutting down trees using chainsaws, making benches out of pallets, masonry, fixing stairs and using concrete. He accompanies his students to the Habitat of Greater Newark site each week, overseeing their work and participation in projects.��

���It���s a broader experience and it���s a real exposure to house construction,��� Awich said.

NCCTI provides transportation to and from the Habitat of Greater Newark site each Wednesday, where students work from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Brown said it���s a privilege to work with Habitat of Greater Newark and recommends the NCCTI Building Trades Specialist program to anyone interested in the field.

���I feel it���s helping me a lot,��� Brown said. ���I���m not yet perfect but I���m getting it little by little.���

NCCTI is an accredited post-secondary career and technical institution that offers the following programs: Automotive Technician, Diesel Technician, Building Trades Specialist, Clinical Medical Assistant, Patient Care Technician, Community Healthcare Worker, Culinary Arts Specialist and Business and Computer Technologies. NCCTI also operates a comprehensive Financial Opportunity Center and Bridges to Career Opportunities Program sponsored by the local and national Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) offices. For more information, call 973-824-6484, log onto or visit 274 South Orange Ave., Newark.

���NCCTI is pleased to have Dr. Sorial and Mr. Awich join our team. Both come with industry-specific skills and teaching experience,��� said NCCTI Director Rodney Brutton. ���Our students will benefit greatly from their knowledge and will certainly be well prepared to enter the workforce from a theoretical and practical perspective.���

Awich graduated from the school���s Building Trades Specialist program in 2017 and after graduation started his own general construction business. Before enrolling at NCCTI, he was a New York City school teacher for about 10 years, teaching biology and sciences.

After William Robinson, who served as his Building Trades Specialist instructor, retired, Awich decided to go back to teaching in his new field.

���I saw the training that I got and I thought it would be a good time to come back and provide the same training that I got,��� Awich said. ���And also being that I���m a former teacher, I said this is another good way of giving back and combining skills.���

He started teaching NCCTI���s Building Trades students in September and enjoys the position. He still has his construction business for weekend projects, but he is now concentrating on his full-time role as an educator.

Sorial has an extensive background in the medical field. He worked in neuropsychiatry in his home country of Egypt before moving to the United States in 1997. When he came to this country, he was unable to find a residency so he decided to become a medical instructor. He has worked in many institutes of higher learning including Eastwick College in Nutley and National Career Institute in East Orange.

He knew his predecessor, Dr. Seham Abouelhassan, as well as NCCTI���s Patient Care Technician instructor Dr. Maha Koltowski, before coming on board which helped the transition go smoothly. He began teaching CMA students in December.

Sorial stresses the importance of students getting a certification instead of working jobs without room for growth.

���It is very good that we get people certified so they can have a real career,��� he said. ���It will open a lot of doors for work or for other education.���

Sorial feels comfortable at NCCTI and is happy to work with his colleagues and students.

���It���s a very nice place with very nice people,��� he said. ���I like this environment.���

Both instructors started working at NCCTI in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has made some changes to instruction. Students and staff members are required to wear face coverings and maintain social distancing. Because of class size, Sorial���s students come in person two days per week and he provides assignments for them to complete on the three days they stay home. Sorial said the split schedule can be a challenge, but he and the students are making it work.

Several of Sorial���s students have accepted temporary positions at University Hospital where they administer COVID-19 vaccines at the hospital���s Ambulatory Care Center.

Awich said all the programs at NCCTI help students establish a successful career.

���These types of skills really will set them up for jobs,��� he said.

NCCTI is an accredited post-secondary career and technical institution that offers the following programs: Automotive Technician, Diesel Technician, Building Trades Specialist, Clinical Medical Assistant, Patient Care Technician, Community Healthcare Worker, Culinary Arts Specialist and Business and Computer Technologies. NCCTI also operates a comprehensive Financial Opportunity Center and Bridges to Career Opportunities Program sponsored by the local and national Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) offices. For more information, call 973-824-6484, log onto or visit 274 South Orange Ave., Newark.

Awich owns Pafya General Construction in Newark, which he started last August. He always knew he wanted to open his own business and enjoyed the building trades and construction industry.

This is a second career for Awich, who served as a New York City school teacher for about 10 years, teaching biology and sciences. He took an early retirement and decided to pursue a building trades career.

Awich lived in Newark and saw that 91心頭 had an accredited school. He also heard about the institution through the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, which he became involved in after his early retirement from teaching.

He is happy he signed up for classes at NCCTI.

���The school is great. It���s probably one of the best. I don���t think that any offerings anywhere else would be different from what we have,��� Awich said. ���It gave us a real hands-on experience of what to do. I think it���s a wonderful place to attend if you���re willing and ready to learn something. You���ll get all you want to learn.���

NCCTI Director Rodney Brutton said the goal is to prepare students for successful careers, whether it���s being an employee or a business owner.

���The scale and scope of our Building Trades program really enables our graduates to not only pursue opportunities in an apprenticeship program and other construction careers, but also ensures they have the skills and competencies to start their own construction businesses,��� he said. ���Our curriculum is multifaceted. It’s based on acquiring the necessary competencies and it���s very hands-on, very practical.���

Awich also liked the fact that the class size was small.

���You get the full attention of your instructor and everything that is happening, every topic that is discussed,��� he said.

William Robinson serves as the Building Trades instructor for NCCTI. Awich said he was very knowledgeable and helpful.

���Even after I left the school, he was still there able to assist me with any information that I wanted,��� Awich said of Robinson. ���And he���s very personable with the students. If you���re willing and ready to learn, he���ll help you out in whatever you want to start.���

Robinson said Awich was a very good student who helped his peers if they found the work challenging.

���He was a dedicated, hardworking student and always on time for class,��� Robinson said. ���He asked some challenging questions. He always put my brain to work.���

To help him launch his business, Awich attended several small business classes. There he learned the process and registered Pafya General Construction with the state of New Jersey.

Pafya General Construction offers construction services that include painting, framing, electrical, flooring, tiling and plumbing. Awich mainly works in residential buildings and also does bathroom renovations and kitchen cabinet installations. He does much of the work himself and hires people to help with jobs when necessary, including NCCTI students on occasion.

Right now, Awich said he gets jobs through word of mouth from clients. He currently works with a company that owns 56 homes that calls him when work is needed. He said it���s good experience because he is able to work and he can use the company as a reference for future prospective clients.

While Awich also worked in maintenance for another company, he said his training from NCCTI really helped him launch his business.

���We covered everything,��� he said. ���We did everything that is necessary for somebody to branch out.���

Brutton said entrepreneurship is a career path for students in the Automotive Technician, Building Trades Specialist and Culinary Arts Specialist programs that NCCTI encourages.

���Yusto was able to take advantage of all of the services provided through the career and technical institute and utilized these resources to create his own business,��� Brutton said.

Pafya General Construction can be reached at 718-844-0305.

NCCTI is an accredited post-secondary career and technical school that offers the following programs: Automotive Technician, Diesel Technician, Building Trades Specialist, Clinical Medical Assistant, Patient Care Technician, Culinary Arts Specialist and Business and Computer Technologies. Those interested in enrolling should call 973-824-6484 or visit www.newcommunity.org. The school is located at 274 South Orange Ave., Newark, with the Training Center that houses Automotive, Diesel and Building Trades programs located at 210 West Bigelow St., Newark.