Lisaira has always had grit. She grew up helping her dad work with trucks and racehorses, riding bulls with her siblings, and wrestling on her high school team.

Lisaira didn’t finish high school, and faced with limited options after leaving, it wasn’t long before she decided to take a more serious look at her future. Inspired by a meeting with her former high school guidance counselor, who told her about the potential to earn a high school diploma at Job Corps, Lisaira enrolled at Wind River Job Corps Center.  

While at Job Corps, Lisaira completed her high school education, graduated from both the Heavy Construction Equipment Mechanic and Heavy Truck Driving programs, and passed the Commercial Driver’s License exam.  

Lisaira will be the first to admit that Job Corps was in no way easy. It took her a while to get comfortable operating heavy equipment and learning to shift gears in big tractors. She even failed her first attempt at the CDL exam, but she didn’t give up.

“We can’t wait around for life to come to us. We have to go get it,” she said. 

After Job Corps, her persistence and training helped Lisaira land her dream job with FedEx Freight, where she works today as a heavy construction equipment mechanic.