There are many challenges that face the Antelope Valley area. Young adulthood is a critical time for personal development. Oftentimes individuals between the ages of 18-24 are in a transitional phase and pondering their next educational or career goals. Luckily for those in search of a well-structured program, there is a non-profit organization that hosts various resources and programs for young adults. One of which is called Lost Angels Career Center.
The Lost Angels Career Center (LACC) is a nonprofit organization with two locations in Lancaster. One of which, situated at 44528 Beech Ave and the other at 45059 Trevor Ave. Lost Angels Career Center serves disadvantaged youth, families and distressed communities by providing vocational training, social enterprise and outreach programs and have proven to be quite successful in their endeavors.
Laura Evans, director of Career Management at LACC, says the organization’s mission statement is ” To take young people with a struggle that are either themselves struggling or struggling within the community and give them an opportunity to provide for themselves and change the entire direction of their lives.”
Currently, 95 percent of students who attend the center graduate with another 97 percent successfully securing jobs after completing programs at the center. The center’s target students come from a diverse background and include those who are low income, exiting the foster system, facing homelessness, first generation citizens, young parents, justice impacted, and parolees or on probation.
The career center was founded in 2019 by Aaron Valencia. Prior to founding LACC, Valencia was working at local food banks and watched as individuals aged while visiting the banks when he felt called to do something larger to help assist young people in the community. Valencia is a custom classic car builder and owns a custom car restoration business, in addition to being a car fanatic he is extremely passionate about helping youth. Valencia himself had a troubled past but has since become an influential entrepreneur and role model for the students he services.
The center offers various vocational programs such as welding and fabrication, blueprinting, mechanics, electrical, auto body and paint and composites. LACC also provides
a number of services including but not limited to GED courses, assistance with driver’s permit and license, access to reliable transportation, vision tests and glasses, monthly food card, and access to computers, printers and the internet. In addition to services, the career center also provides attendees with skills such as interview preparation, financial literacy and budgeting, team building and mentorship, professional email communication and behavior, conflict resolution and employers expectations.
Evans says of her work with the organization, “This is without a doubt the most rewarding nonprofit I have ever worked at. These kids without a doubt are the most rewarding part for me. This works, we’re taking young people and truly giving them the ability to do things they never thought they could do.”