Success Story: Luis Martinez

Luis Martinez was working as an HVAC Technician when he was injured. He knelt to check a leaky air conditioning unit and when he stood, his back seized up on him, leaving him unable to move.

He knew a few days of rest was not going to make this pain go away. He had just bought a home and the injury made what should have been an exciting time sad and stressful.

After Luis’ case settled he made self-employment his goal. He came to OCC and learned about his options, choosing to re-train to get his contractor’s license.

“If I hadn’t received training and certification, I would probably still be working for that HVAC company and be risking re-injury daily,” Luis said.

Luis also completed refrigerator licensing and got more experience working with a new company. He became independent in managing his time and works with customers to solve problems. He even bought a service van to further his dream of being his own boss.

Luis used to miss out on family time due to work. Now he can take his kids to school and attend their events. His family takes trips to Las Vegas and spends more time together daily.

Notes from Hazel:

Luis came to OCC after his injury with the idea of going back to school, but he didn't know how to use the voucher benefit and he didn’t think he had the time for school. We demystified the process and helped him register at a California State License School. We were able to accommodate the training costs with the value of the voucher to ensure that Luis did not have to pay out of pocket and that the training schedule would be just right for his work, family, and life balance.  After registering for school, Luis had to interrupt his training when his job became very busy and he was working overtime and weekends.  OCC followed up with him consistently, motivating him to return to school and get his certification. Each time he was too busy and could not return to his training.  It took more than two years of calls and touching base to support Luis in his dream of becoming an entrepreneur, making his own schedule and supporting his family.  We are so proud and grateful to have been a part of Luis’ journey, each step of the way.