When Daimyon Cantrell came to Whitney M. Young Job Corps Center, the Facilities Maintenance graduate already had worked in the field.

But now, he’s on a whole new level.

Thanks to his education at Whitney, Cantrell will return to his job at Dixie Plumbing, where he will work as a pre-apprentice plumber with new knowledge and expertise. He’ll start a full apprenticeship in the Spring. He looks forward to the edge new knowledge will give him when he returns.

“It’ll pull me a little far ahead, more far ahead than others,” he said. “It’ll give me a head start at life.”

But it wasn’t all hard work – Cantrell also got chances to relax and enjoy himself as he honed his skills and gained new experience.

“I loved the off-center activities, I loved talking to the staff,” he said.

Cantrell reported that he struggled sometimes.

“It’s a struggle getting up every day, going to work, but we’ve all got to put our right foot forward,” he said. But with the power of motivation, he pulled through and kept going. “I knew every day I was working for something more.”