Chris Nelson Comes Full Circle with Vehicles for Change

Chris Nelson is a technician at Heritage Honda Bel Air with an incredible story - one of commitment to a better life for him and his family, and of service to his community. 

Chris wasn’t always a technician. Prior to working at MileOne, Chris experienced many challenges in his life. In February of 2017 however, things started to look up when he enrolled in the Vehicles for Change Full Circle Auto Repair and Training Program.

Full Circle is an employer-driven, paid internship program through Vehicles for Change designed to provide auto mechanic training to individuals with multiple barriers to employment including many who have recently been released from prison. Since its launch in 2015, the Full Circle Training Program has seen unprecedented success. Over 190 interns have enrolled in the program, and 100% of program graduates found jobs. Even more incredible? Only 3% of interns return to prison.

During his time in the Full Circle program, Chris was a top-tier intern and earned 9 entry-level Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certifications! After successfully completing his training, he became a technician at Heritage Honda Bel Air where he’s been an integral part of the team for over 5 years. 

On his days off, you can find Chris volunteering in the Vehicles for Change garage mentoring current interns, or troubleshooting difficult repairs with instructors. His success and commitment to the program earned him the first ever Full Circle Graduate of the Year award.

MileOne is proud to partner with Vehicles for Change and Chris isn’t the only Full Circle Graduate that calls one of our dealerships home. We’ve hired 14 Full Circle Graduates and are looking forward to our continued partnership with Vehicles for Change.

To learn more about the Car Award Program and the Full Circle Training Program, visit https://www.vehiclesforchange.org/