((PKG)) VEHICLES FOR CHANGE
((TRT: 05:48))
((Topic Banner: Vehicles for Change))
((Producer: Julie Taboh))
((Camera/Editor: Adam Greenbaum))
((Map: Halethorpe, Maryland))
((Main characters: 0 female; 1 male))
((Sub characters: 2 female; 4 male))

((MUSIC/NATS))
((Martin Schwartz
President/Founder, Vehicles for Change))
How we doing?
((NATS))
Good. Doing good.
((Martin Schwartz
President/Founder, Vehicles for Change))
What are we working on now?
((Martin Schwartz
President/Founder, Vehicles for Change))
Vehicles for Change is a 24-year-old nonprofit. And what we really do is address two of the major issues that impact social injustice and systemic racism, and that is incarceration
((Courtesy: AFP))
and access to jobs.
((NATS))
((Martin Schwartz
President, Vehicles for Change))
We designed the program 24 years ago, really to provide cars to families that living in poverty, that need to get access to employment.
((Courtesy: Vehicles for Change))
We take a donated car, we repair it, and then with other agencies throughout the region, we identify a family who needs a car to go to work.
((Martin Schwartz
President, Vehicles for Change))
So, as we got into it, we found out that the state of Maryland in the prison system has an automotive training program. So, we thought what a great way to work with the state to bring those individuals here and give them additional four months training.
So, now with our interns, while they're here,
((Courtesy: Vehicles for Change))
they repair the cars that are going to go to families.
((Martin Schwartz
President, Vehicles for Change))
And then when they graduate, we're able to place them in with our employment partners throughout the region.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((James Makia
President, Exclusive Motorcars))
My name is James Makia. I'm the president of Exclusive Motorcars.
((NATS))
((James Makia
President, Exclusive Motorcars))
We're an independent dealership. We've been in business 16 years now, started in 2008.
((James Makia
President, Exclusive Motorcars))
Vehicles for Change is an organization that I came in contact with I think about seven years ago.
((NATS))
((James Makia
President, Exclusive Motorcars))
I took a tour of their facility. I was very impressed by the work that they're doing. So now, of course, they're doing good work and we sell cars. So, hence the connection.
((James Makia
President, Exclusive Motorcars))
We've had six graduates and they've done really well.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Alexis Austin
Technician, Exclusive Motorcars))
My name is Alexis Austin. I’m part of Exclusive Motorcars.
((NATS))
((Alexis Austin
Technician, Exclusive Motorcars))
I’m an auto technician here.
((NATS))
((Alexis Austin
Technician, Exclusive Motorcars))
So, when I tell people I'm a mechanic, they're just amazed. Like they’ve never actually seen a woman get into a car like I do.
((NATS))
((Alexis Austin
Technician, Exclusive Motorcars))
I literally was coming home from doing five years in prison with nothing.
((NATS))
Vehicles for Change, they provided me with the opportunity to grow in a field that predominately men, show men that, you know, females can do the same thing that men can do. They welcomed me with open arms and really guided me.
((NATS))
((Alexis Austin
Technician, Exclusive Motorcars Car))
So, we learned the basics like oil change, brakes, you know, how to change tires.
((James Makia
President, Exclusive Motorcars))
Currently there's a lot of shortage in technicians. So, when you have folks like especially Alexis, who is very passionate about it, she's done extremely well, to say the least.
((NATS: Neal))
You want to test the fuses?
((Maurice Neal
Student, Vehicles for Change))
I learned about this program while in prison and it was at a time where just didn't really know what to do with my life.
((Maurice Neal
Student, Vehicles for Change))
As a training facility and you don't know anything about cars, it teaches you from the ground up, beginning with how to change a tire and a battery and just the basics.
((NATS))
((Maurice Neal
Student, Vehicles for Change))
And what it does, it trains you and prepares you to be in the workforce.
((NATS))
((Maurice Neal
Student, Vehicles for Change))
Actually, right now, I'm more confident than I ever was getting a job and being successful because of this program.
((Anna Metzger
Student, Vehicles for Change))
My name is Anna Metzger, and I'm an intern here at Vehicles for Change.
((NATS))
((Anna Metzger
Student, Vehicles for Change))
I mean, as soon as you walk in the door, it says, “A Program of Second Chances.” And for me, it really was a second chance.
So, my fourth day here, I learned how to correctly identify a ball joint. Today, we're diagnosing indicator lights.
((NATS))
((Anna Metzger
Student, Vehicles for Change))
I haven't just gained foundational skills, I've gained a family, because what we're doing here is life changing.
I really feel like once I leave here, the sky is really the limit. I could go anywhere with what they've giving me here.
((Martin Schwartz
President, Vehicles for Change))
There's going to be between four and 500,000 vacancies for auto technicians in the next five years.
((NATS/MUSIC))
3-2-1.
((Martin Schwartz
President, Vehicles for Change))
Recently, we launched what we call our VFC VR, which we now are starting to train individuals using Virtual Reality technology, so that we can train them much faster and much less expensive than it costs to do a hands-on program.
((Geoff Crawford
Vice President of VR, Vehicles for Change))
What I love about it is how immersive the technology is.
((NATS))
((Geoff Crawford
Vice President of VR, Vehicles for Change))
Being able to go into a headset and being able to be single focused on something, have it kind of ‘gamified’ to make something fun is, I think, a great way to learn, especially when you're in an entry level position.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Chucky Fleet
Student, Vehicles for Change))
My name is Chucky Fleet, and you can call me Chucky.
((NATS))
((Chucky Fleet
Student, Vehicles for Change))
I’m an intern. With this, you get the mindset before you get the hands-on.
((NATS))
((Chucky Fleet
Student, Vehicles for Change))
Mistakes have been made in my background. I did some prison sentences. Without this program, I probably would be back in prison. There's no more prison for me, thanks to these guys.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Martin Schwartz
President, Vehicles for Change))
Folks coming out of incarceration make very, very good employees. They want to work. They appreciate the opportunity. ((NATS))
((Martin Schwartz
President, Vehicles for Change))
They’re just really motivated to not go back to the life that they had to deal with years ago. It is an amazing opportunity to get to do this and to work with these folks, and it just opened doors for them and to watch them run through the door.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Alexis Austin
Auto Technician, Exclusive Motorcars))
I see me growing into opening my own shop, predominantly women for women mechanics.
Vehicles for Change provided the technical and the emotional skills for me to thrive in my community and just be a better person, be a stronger person, a stronger woman.
((MUSIC/NATS))