In My Own Words:
Andrés Fajardo’s Story
Andrés during his training time at CAPI
My name is Andrés Fajardo, and I’d like to tell you a little about myself and the journey that brought me to this country. Five years ago, I was living in the city where I grew up—Puerto Cabello, Venezuela. My life there was very different from my life today; back then, I worked alongside my father, who was an electrician.
Three months before I moved to the United States, my father passed away from COVID-19. That tragic event was one of the primary reasons why my family and I made the difficult decision to leave our home country in search of a better future. Emigrating to the United States forced me to be open to new experiences and to face challenges in order to grow as a person and advance towards a prosperous future.
When I arrived, I didn't speak the language. At eighteen years old, I had the opportunity to attend high school, in which I was compelled to teach myself English. While in high school, I worried that I wouldn't find a way to pursue my desired career as an electrician. Those fears were put to rest thanks to a connection I made at school, someone who told me about a place called CAPI. CAPI offered me a choice of several courses, and I decided to take the maintenance course.
Two months after graduating from high school, I began my studies at CAPI. During the program, I learned to apply technical skills and integrate my interpersonal abilities into a professional setting. As I worked toward my maintenance technician certification, the program and its staff helped me face various personal struggles in a country that was still new to me. I was able to further develop my English conversational skills and gradually step out of my comfort zone.
Andrés (pictured 3rd from the left) and his graduating cohort with CAPI staff and program trainers
This program has helped me build connections outside the workplace—connecting with my community and with others who have followed a path similar to mine. Thanks to this program, I was able to find the job I hold today as a certified Maintenance Technician at Aeon. With what I have learned at CAPI, I currently apply to my work ethic and have been in Aeon for more than a year. The support I received from the CAPI staff helped me achieve my goals within the program and in other areas of my personal life.
Today I am continuing my ongoing goal to become an electrician, just like my father. I would have never imagined this possibility without the help of CAPI, and the connections I have made throughout my time in this country. What I am most proud of is being able to achieve everything I set out to do as an immigrant. Thanks to CAPI and the people I have met through my time in the program, my personal and academic life have improved. I see CAPI as the kind of guide we need when we feel stuck or are looking for a path to thrive in our respective futures; CAPI has the privilege of opening many doors for immigrants seeking to improve their lives in this country, as they did with me.
If I were in my home country today, I would have not had the opportunities and achievements I have here in this country. With the help of CAPI, and those who continue to guide me in my journey to succeed, I am more than able to build the future I’ve always imagined for myself. If there is something you should take away from my story, it is the following: I believe our story doesn’t have a good beginning, but that doesn't define who we are; it is the rest of our story, and the people who we choose to become—that matters.