Zaire Green knows what it means to start over. After experiencing homelessness, hunger, and health battles that tested his limits, he found himself at a crossroads, physically exhausted but mentally determined. His journey to the Electrician Technician program at United Education Institute (UEI) in Morrow has been about career training and proving to himself that he could rebuild, even from rock bottom.
Zaire remembers the moment that shifted everything: sleeping outside the downtown library, alone and hungry, after being released from jail with nothing but the clothes on his back. “When I sat in jail, I rethought my life and knew this isn’t the kind of life I needed to have,” he said. “Losing my job at the union hit hard because I loved the trade. That’s when I knew I had to find a way back.”
UEI became that way. An online search led him to the Electrician Tech program, and within weeks of starting, Zaire was thriving. Though he had previous hands-on experience through IBEW 613, it was the instructors at UEI who helped him rediscover his confidence and push beyond what he thought he knew.
“Mr. Griffin and Mr. Brown are the real MVPs,” Zaire said. “Mr. Griffin has a gift for breaking things down until it makes sense. When we got to Motor Controls and PLCs, he took his time with each of us until it clicked. Mr. Brown kept us sharp with challenges that pushed our thinking.”
With their guidance, Zaire built more than just electrical skills. He built belief in himself. His 3.7 GPA is just one reflection of the discipline and growth he’s achieved in the program. More importantly, he says, he’s learned how to work with others, stay grounded, and hold tight to a vision of a better future.
Still living in public housing, Zaire stays focused by remembering where he came from. “There were days I wanted to give up. Days I felt like God wasn’t even there. But if you keep fighting and have faith, you can reach anything. I want to inspire others, maybe even my kids one day. I’ve been through too much to quit.”
To anyone facing their own uphill climb, Zaire offers this: “Limit the distractions. Think clearly. Learn from others. Plan your next move and prove to God you’re strong enough for what’s coming.”
For Zaire Green, quitting isn’t an option. He’s walking forward, head high, tools in hand, toward a future that he’s wired to build.
