robbery by the time he was 25. >> there was no work. it was nonexistent. i mean, to me, for people like myself. >> follow the basics and always do the basics right, everything else falls into place. >> reporter: but then he ran into silvester, who recruits students for the construction gateway program, scouring homeless shelters, unemployment lines. >> i look for two things, a student that i feel will benefit from this, and the second, just as important, is an individual that is going to be a good employee. >> reporter: once in, they are taught the boot camp basics of construction work -- showing up on time, doing what you're told, the language of tools and rules of building, all with the goal of helping not just them but the broader community, too. >> we need new people coming in the pipeline, and one of the things that construction gateway does is that, fills the pipeline with entry-level construction wo workers. >> reporter: people we absolutely need to economically