Anson Lazaro is graduating from Kauaʻi Community College this spring with a Certificate of Achievement in Electrical Installation and Maintenance Technology (EIMT). His next step is joining the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) apprenticeship program. The union will then cover the cost of his continued training and certifications—paving the way toward his dream of becoming a licensed lineman.

After graduating from Waimea High School in 2022, Lazaro initially left Hawaiʻi to play college baseball but returned home after realizing the cost was unsustainable. That’s when he connected with Kauaʻi CC’s Waiʻaleʻale Project, a scholarship program that gives eligible Kauaʻi and Niʻihau residents an opportunity to try college.

“The Waiʻaleʻale Project helped me be able to afford classes at Kauaʻi CC,” Lazaro said. “The beginning goal was just to learn the foundation of what to expect in the electrical field.” Please read more in UH News