For Appollos, building a better future for himself and his son meant staying committed to his apprenticeship with the Northern Midwest Regional Council of Carpenters (NMRCC).
But during the winter of 2025, an unexpected transportation challenge put that future at risk.
When his car broke down, Appollos couldn't afford to purchase another vehicle or rely on rideshare services to get where he needed to go. Without reliable transportation, getting to work and picking up his son from school became increasingly difficult.
“My son is my everything. He motivates me to want more and to be better,” Appollos said. “This winter was rough. My car died, and I had to catch the bus or ask for rides because I didn’t have extra money for a car or even for Lyft.”
The transportation challenges affected more than his commute. Appollos sometimes struggled to pick his son up from school on time, adding another layer of stress as he tried to balance his responsibilities as a father and an apprentice.
“A couple of times I was late picking him up from school and hearing him cry was a lot,” he said.
Eventually, the challenges became significant enough that Appollos considered leaving his apprenticeship.
“I was going to quit,” he said. “Then my manager referred me to this program.”
That referral connected Appollos to the Detroit at Work Transportation Program, where he received a vehicle to address one of the biggest barriers standing between him and continued employment.
With reliable transportation, Appollos was able to remain in his apprenticeship and continue earning while also having dependable transportation for his son.
What began as a transportation challenge that nearly ended his apprenticeship became an opportunity for Appollos to stay on the path he had worked to build for both himself and the person who motivates him most: his son.