Breaking the Cycle of Poverty with Trade Education

TRADE SCHOOL ENROLLMENT ACROSS THE STATE HAS BEEN ON THE RISE IN RECENT YEARS AND FOR SOUTHWEST FLORIDIANS LOOKING TO START A NEW CAREER PATH, THERE'S A NEW OPTION. IT'S THE HEIGHTS CAREER TECH INSTITUTE IN LEE COUNTY. AND IT'S AN EXAMPLE OF A COMMUNITY GROUP SEEING A NEED AND RESPONDING WGCUS MIKE WALCHER HAS THE STORY. >> 21 YEAR-OLD CLARENCE JOSEPH OF CAPE CORAL IS AMONG A DOZEN STUDENTS TRAINING FOR A YEAR TO BE SURE TO 5 ELECTRICIANS. >> I REALLY THINK THIS IS THE COOLEST LIKE YOU'RE LEARNING WIRING. YOU'RE LEARNING HOW TO LIKE MAKE THINGS COME TO LIFE. >> JOSEPH LOVES MUSIC AND SAYS WE NEED STEADY INCOME TO DEVELOP HIS TALENTS TO ALI AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS MEETING REALLY IN THE KISSING HIM AND THAT HE'S ALREADY GETTING FOLLOWERS ONLINE FOR HIS CREATIONS AND HE HOPES A DAY JOB AND ALLOWED HIM TO DO MORE WITH HIS MUSIC. >> I HOPE TO BE FINANCIALLY STABLE, FINANCIALLY INDEPENDENT. THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT TO ME. >> RECENTLY COMMUNITY MEMBERS CAME TO SEE THE INSTITUTE FOR AND A HALF YEARS AFTER HEIGHTS FOUNDATION LEADERS CAME UP WITH THE IDEA. >> IT WAS HARD WORK. >> IT WAS FUNDING AND PERSEVERANCE. >> NOT GIVING UP. >> THAT'S KATHERINE KELLY, FOUNDER OF THE HEIGHTS FOUNDATION AND CENTER. SHE AND OTHERS RAISED MONEY TO BUILD THIS OF 50 MILLION DOLLAR 63,000 SQUARE FOOT BUILDING. PEOPLE CHEERED. THE OFFICIAL OPENING. THE INSTITUTE IS NEAR HARLEM HEIGHTS. A HISTORICALLY DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITY FOR A QUARTER CENTURY. THE HEIGHTS FOUNDATION HAS WORKED TO HELP PEOPLE BREAK OUT OF POVERTY AND THE IN SITU FALLS RIGHT IN LINE WITH THAT GOAL. >> THEY ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DEVELOP THE SKILLS TO GET JOBS THAT WILL ALLOW THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES TO HAVE THE LIFE THAT THEY DRUGGED UP. AND THAT'S A VERY POWERFUL THING TO BE ABLE TO SHARE WITH. PEOPLE IS GIVING THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO BETTER THEMSELVES. >> STARTS. THE INSTITUTE ALSO WILL TRAIN PEOPLE IN A VARIETY OF HEALTH CARE FIELDS. CERTAINLY A GROWING INDUSTRY IN OUR AREA. BUT AT THE HEART OF IT ALL IS THE FOCUS ON ONE PERSON IN NEED. LEARNING ONE TRADE TO LAST A LIFETIME. >> THE KOREA MATTERS CAUSE SOME, YOU KNOW, DON'T PAY YOU ENOUGH. AND YOU HAVE TO LIVE LIKE >> PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK. THESE POLINA IS FRESH OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL AND THE ONLY WOMAN THE ELECTRICIANS CLASH. >> I'M REALLY EXCITED. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO GOING TO CLASS LEARNING NEW THINGS. THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING NEW. >> PROGRAMS WILL TRAIN PEOPLE IN WELDING AND AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR AMONG OTHER TRADES. >> THE CYCLE OF POVERTY ALWAYS GOING TO BE HARD TO GET RID OF. BUT WE'RE GETTING RID OF IT. ONE FAMILY AT A TIME. >> EMISSIONS RANGE FROM ABOUT 8200 FOR THE ELECTRICIANS PROGRAM DOWN TO ABOUT 1400 TO BECOME A NURSING ASSISTANT CAREER TECH SAYS MOST STUDENTS WILL GET GENEROUS SCHOLARSHIP HELP. WITH VIDEOGRAPHY BY AMANDA. WITH