Jairo Salgado
Just a few years ago, Jairo Salgado was grappling with issues of homelessness, substance
abuse and incarceration.
Today, he has a full-time job as a machine operator at Fastener Innovation Technology,
where he supports the setup and calibration for the company's heading machines. The
company forms the heads on screws and fasteners with the precision needed to meet
the specifications of the aerospace and defense industries.
"I am where I am now because of an internship opportunity through Compton College,
and because Los Angeles County Social Services and Compton College's education programs
created a pathway that allowed me to achieve a better life for myself and my family,"
said Salgado. "More public-private partnerships like this are needed to address the
various situations and challenges that we as students must overcome."
Salgado's parents immigrated to the U.S. from Mexico and settled in east Los Angeles,
where he was raised. "My parents did not go to college and were not familiar with
California's complex higher education system," he said.
His first try at college classes came shortly after he earned his GED. "I was interested
in mechanical engineering and physics, but the cost was a huge barrier, as it is for
many students, and I left after a semester," he said. "The following years, I worked
low-wage jobs to try to make ends meet, and I ultimately fell into drug dependency
and homelessness. I had become a father to two beautiful children but, given my struggles
at the time they were born, they were placed in foster care with my mom and sister."
Salgado's turnaround came in 2021 after he completed a rehabilitation program. His
county social worker recommended a certificate program in machine tool technology
because of his interest in engineering. "While I didn't yet have a vision for my career
path, I knew college could help lead to better job opportunities and a better future
for my kids," Salgado said. "I didn't want to fall back into the same patterns from
before, and I wanted to set the foundation for a different trajectory for my children."
His social worker connected him with Compton College's Career Education program, as
well as counselors at Los Angeles County Social Services, and various assistance programs.
"Once I got into the machine tool technology program, I fell in love with it. My teacher,
Mr. Van Overbeck, was amazing, and his teaching assistant Edgar helped me apply for
additional benefit programs," Salgado said. "Mr. Van Overbeck showed me the many intricate
possibilities of machine tool work, and I gained expertise through hands-on experience
operating various machinery." In June 2022, he earned a Certificate of Achievement
as a CNC machine operator and is continuing his studies at Compton College to complete
his associate degree in machine tool technology.
Compton College's partnerships helped connect Salgado with not only higher education,
but also gainful employment. He believes that with more coordinated efforts through
social services and higher education, many more individuals and their families and
communities can find their way to improved lifestyles.
"When I reflect on how I got to where I am now, it was through the alignment of social
services, employers, and Compton College - and their shared culture of supporting
the whole student," he said.
*Jairo Salgado's narrative was originally published in The Hechinger Report, Aug. 2022
