Malik's Story

While Malik was in prison, his children's mother lost custody of their two kids. When he was released his children were in foster care and he was only able to have supervised visits, which was hard for all of them. He worked diligently to meet the requirements of Child Protective Services to regain custody. He got an apartment, stayed out of trouble, and took other required steps to prove that he was a fit parent. He regained custody last spring.

With custody of his two children, employment that was adequate to support all of them became critical, but he struggled because of his past mistakes and criminal record. He was offered several positions that were then rescinded after the background check was completed. He had always wanted to be a carpenter, but had not found an opportunity to gain the skills to pursue this until he came across Boreal Development's Apprenticeship Readiness program. He started classes in May 2025.

He was a dedicated student, obtaining all available certificates and credentials and working closely with staff to meet his personal goals. He earned CPR/First Aid/AED, OSHA 10-Hour Construction Safety, Lead Safe Renovator, and Urban Green Council's GPRO Fundamentals of Building Green certifications. He obtained his driver's license as well, and in August he graduated with his Multi-Craft Core Curriculum credential.

Malik's background continued to be a challenge for employers however, and even though he has been one of Boreal Development's top students, he has struggled to obtain employment. He decided to pursue his Minnesota Residential Contractors License and has been studying and working with Boreal on practice projects to gain the skills and experience he needs. He will take the test next month.

One of the practice projects his is working on is a weatherization project for our partner, Vita Nova (we'll share more on this project soon). After an energy audit found significant air infiltration at their transitional housing facility, Vita Nova hired Boreal Development to complete the recommendations in the audit. At right is an image of Malik with Construction Trainer, Ron Gurno, installing a new door to replace a leaking old door at Vita Nova's residence.

We are proud of Malik and we look forward to sharing more about his progress as he continues his journey.