From the Streets to the Shop: Aaron Valencia’s Path to Purpose Through the Trades

This story is part of our Skilled AF podcast series, spotlighting diverse and inspiring voices connected to the skilled trades & construction community.

Aaron Valencia is living proof that the skilled trades can change lives. After overcoming addiction, homelessness, and incarceration, he found stability and purpose through hands-on work – first in house painting, then in classic car restoration. The trades didn’t just give him a second chance, they gave him a future and the chance to change the trajectory of others’ lives.

That experience inspired him to start Lost Angels Career Center in Lancaster, California, a nonprofit offering 12-week vocational training for underserved and at-risk youth. Using classic cars as the hook, the program teaches welding, bodywork, mechanics, CNC machining and composites—while also instilling soft skills, structure, and a deep sense of community. The program boasts a 97% graduation rate and a 95% job placement rate, with many alumni moving directly into careers in aerospace. A forward-thinking force in workforce development, Aaron is vocal about dismantling toxic job site culture, building retention through empathy, and creating a more inclusive, purpose-driven path for young people.

In this interview we cover:

Aaron’s Path into the Trades – From growing up in poverty and addiction to launching a classic car restoration shop, Aaron shares how the trades gave him stability—and a mission.

Rebuilding Lives Through Classic Cars – How a small shop evolved into a full-fledged vocational training program using lowriders and customs as the spark for skill-building.

Breaking Down the Stigma Around Blue-Collar Work – Aaron shares how generational perceptions of trades work need to evolve—and how he's helping young people see these jobs as viable, respected, and high-paying careers.

Accountability, Soft Skills & Second Chances –From zero-tolerance tardiness to mock interviews and “adulting” classes, Lost Angels prepares students for real life—not just the job.

Retention Starts with Respect – Why jobsite culture must change, and how employers can create environments that people actually want to stay and grow in.

Community as the Catalyst – Aaron emphasizes the critical role of mentorship “say less, do more,” long-term support, and belonging.

You Can Go Anywhere – Your past doesn’t define your future. Aaron reflects on what he needed as a young person and how Lost Angels is designed to meet others there.