Garcia awards help immigrants with career paths

Monument Impact selected Maria Apaza, Jose Llocclla, Leyton Maya and Ernesto Alvarez as this year’s winners of the George Garcia Educational Awards.

Diablo Valley Federal Credit Union sponsors the program, now in its third year.

Apaza, originally from Peru, began taking computer classes at Monument Impact in January. She will use the $600 scholarship to pay her tuition for Monument Impact’s Career Track Program starting in July. She plans to use the skills to land a job in office administration upon graduation in December.

Llocclla, also from Peru, works in construction. When he asked his boss about advancing in the job, he founded out he needed safety certification from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). He will use his $300 scholarship to become OHSA certified so he can advance in his career.

Maya, from Ecuador, has been having a hard time landing a job in commercial construction because he lacks OSHA safety certification. He will also use his $300 scholarship to become OSHA certified.

Alvarez moved from Mexico in search of a better life. He will use his $300 scholarship to take basic construction classes through Loma Vista Adult Education to improve his skills and employment opportunities.

For more information about Monument Impact, visit monumentimpact.org.