These Long Islanders found career success through trade school

Matthew Alexander, 47, of Merrick, has been running his own private chef business, Sabor de Arte, for 16 years. After graduating from the Culinary Academy of Long Island Syosset in 2011, which has since closed, he went on to do an apprenticeship at the restaurant JoJo by Jean-Georges in Manhattan and opened his business on Feb. 14, 2020.

Although he averages 60 hours of work a week, he still has control over his schedule. "I get to spend a heck of a lot more time with my family," he said, "which is most important."

Alexander, who takes much pride in his work, makes over $100,000 annually, but can set the bar for his income.

"People just don't understand the value of what goes into what I do," he said. "So, when I quote them with a price, a lot of people may call and be like, ‘It's way too much,’ and they don't understand what they’re actually getting or what goes into it."

For those considering culinary school, Alexander emphasizes that there are no shortcuts. "See as much as you can see; get as much experience as you can get," he said.

He added, "Understand that culinary school is just that, it’s school. You do not come out of school a chef." — Layla Duran

On paper, the skills Paul Behlen learned at the BOCES program Wilson Tech Auto Body Repair don’t relate to plumbing. But Behlen "wasn’t really the biggest fan" of the work he learned, so he jumped at the opportunity when a family member needed a plumber — doing so because he enjoyed working with his hands.

That was 30 years ago. Now, Behlen, a 49-year-old from Commack, is the owner and CEO of Behlen Plumbing & Heating. After working as a plumber for seven years, he earned his master plumbing license and later founded his company in 2005.

Behlen started out making about $100 per day, working 10-to-12-hour shifts at his peak. His hours and work look different now that he runs his own business, and he estimated he now makes around $300,000 annually. While Behlen feels he’s always on call, he enjoys the flexibility of building his schedule around when he can spend time with his children.

"Some of these schools, people are spending 50, 60, 70 grand a year for schooling for four years, when you could be making money with a trade and learning that trade," Behlen said. "And then if you desire to go out there on your own, you could one day own your own company." — Justin Girshon

Justin Bonilla, owner of the hair salon Just in Style NY in Albertson, has worked in the industry for 16 years. At his first job after completing Long Island Beauty School, he made $8.25 an hour plus tips. Today, from services alone, he averages $2,000 a week.

In a typical week, Bonilla works 65 to 80 hours. "As an owner I never stop working. A hairdresser at a high-end salon does not just clock in and out."

Bonilla’s favorite part of the job is how he can uplift someone's mood through his work. "What I noticed, especially as a child, was how [the customer's] entire mood shifted. They could come in neutral, they could come in having the worst day of their life, but they always leave so much happier."

Bonilla said his least favorite part of the job is public perception of the industry, that people assume that ‘we just do hair,’ " adding,"But we are an applied chemist, a structural architect and an entrepreneur."

For people considering the beauty industry, Bonilla recommends they ask themselves questions such as: "Think to yourself, not even the technical, not even if you can cut a straight line or make someone look like Kim K., but do I want to connect with people?" — Layla Duran

Joe Caravajjio, 31, says he’s been cutting hair since 2012, when he enrolled in the Eastern Suffolk BOCES barbering program while attending high school. At that program he was able to learn barber basics, practice on mannequins and prepare for the New York State Board exam.

"I liked the art of it," he said. "I was young so I didn't really need to make a lot of money. For me it was just about doing a good cut, making sure the customer was happy."

Countless cuts later and Caravajjio says he has the same mentality as the owner of Long Island Fade Factory in Wantagh. Caravajjio says he has flexible 50-to-60 hour workweeks and says barbers starting out can make $1,000 per week through commission.

The Ronkonkoma native says the free program allowed him to pursue his passion and learn from his mistakes. He recommends to high school students with an interest in both his field and college to learn from other barbers and become certified first so they can start making money during school.

"I was messing up haircuts left and right, I just basically had to get anyone I could in the chair — all my friends, my dad," he said. "Keep doing it, just keep doing it. You can't stop." — Amit Ben-Basset

Sal Karim, general manager at Stasi Brothers Asphalt and Masonry, said that he believes young people should pursue trade careers as technology is helping rather than replacing the field.

"There’s a lot of fields that may start feeling that pressure," he said. "I don’t think it happens in our industry."

Karim, 41, said technology has made it easier for Stasi Brothers to communicate with customers and organize employees’ schedules. He has worked at the company for 23 years.

Karim works an average of 50 to 60 hours per week, which varies depending on his schedule and the season. Workers’ annual salaries in the field can range from $50,000 to $130,000, according to Karim.

"My schedule is very fluid because each project and each job requires different time and manpower," he said.

During high school, Karim took engineering courses and worked at Stasi Brothers, which is owned by a friend of his father's. Karim said that because he enjoyed his experience working, he changed his plans to attend an out-of-state college so he could continue gaining experience in the field. He pivoted and took engineering courses at Nassau Community College.

Karim said that while there aren’t really any downsides to his work, the job can sometimes be demanding. But, what makes it worthwhile is the ability to see projects come to life for generations to enjoy.

"It’s actually an art that people are actually going to use," Karim said. "Driveways that you’re going to park your car on, roads that people are going to drive over — every single day." — Ashna Balroop

Angelis "Panda" Magarin has been working at Sprung Monuments, a supplier of cemetery memorials, granite headstones, footstones and mausoleums, for over 10 years. At the Sprung Monuments shop in Lindenhurst, Magarin makes sure the monuments are made right and on time.

When he started at Sprung Monuments as an apprentice in 2016, Magarin, who used to plant trees for New York City, was making $15 to $16 an hour. Now, he makes upward of $30 an hour working 40 to 50 hours a week.

"I think the company is good to work for," he said. "We have a union, we have a 401(k) and a lot of opportunity. In my case, the company always did what I needed."

Magarin never envisioned himself working at a place like Sprung Monuments. He only began working there because a friend convinced him to. But now, he loves it.

"When you love whatever you do, when you like your job, everything is good," he said. — Victor Menendez

Karen Neira-Zompanis, 43, of Merrick, has been in the cosmetology business for 12 years. After attending a BOCES cosmetology program during high school she developed a passion for cosmetology, but obtained her license in her late 20s. She now co-owns a salon, Salon Modus in Franklin Square, with her best friend.

In 2021, she opened her salon and averages 30 to 38 hours a week, making over $100,000 annually. "I love what I do," she said. "I love being creative. I love giving my client exactly what they want, making them feel great. But
 sometimes it's not necessarily just the outcome of the hair, but more of their experience in the chair."

Neira-Zompanis said she believes that college is not the only way to success. She encourages those considering cosmetology school to still learn even if they’re not enrolled in a school.

"I’m huge on educating yourself, not necessarily going into school, but we have the advantage of different platforms, where you can definitely pick up certain pointers," she said. "There's educational videos on hairstyles and hair coloring. Education is endless." — Angelina Livigni

Matthew Santos, 21, has worked as a mechanic for Coventry Motors in Huntington for six months since graduating from the 13-month long automotive program at Lincoln Tech. During the final two months of the program, Santos was able to convert his coursework into an internship at Coventry Motors, which led to a full-time job.

Santos works 40 hours a week, making $22 an hour, with opportunities for raises, through National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence certifications. Mechanics at Coventry Motors can receive a $1.50 hourly raise for every three ASE certifications they complete, with 50 total.

For Santos, the best part of the job is the hands-on experience and variety of work that comes at an Independent shop compared with some of his friends who work at dealerships.“What I liked here is that I got to help with bigger jobs, like power steering racks and suspension work," Santos said.

One drawback, he said, is that independent shops often have fewer resources and less access to manufacturer software and equipment. "It could be sometimes tough for an independent shop where we work ... to buy specialized equipment," Santos said.

He said attending trade school has allowed him to pursue a career he is passionate about. His advice for students considering a trade is to gain first-hand experience.

"Try out the trade first, like an apprentice. See if you could shadow someone," Santos said. "I found actually experiencing it and talking with the people in the trade is better." — Ava Shea

Chase Sherman, 21, has worked as an electrician for almost 2½ years. After completing a 600-hour program at Electrical Training Center Inc. in Copiague, Sherman immediately began work, making $20 per hour. Because he is certified, his salary was quickly bumped to $30 an hour, and he expects it will stay at that rate or increase once he joins a union.

Sherman typically works about 40 hours per week, from 6 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on weekdays, with the option for overtime.

"I like getting out at 2:30 because then I have a lot of the day left to just relax a little bit and do what I want while it’s still bright outside," Sherman said, adding, "Unfortunately, with the hours, it tends not to line up with other people who haven’t gone to trade school ... but that’s not really that big of a setback."

Sherman said finances were a major motivating factor in choosing electrician training over a traditional four-year college.

"Trade school was a cheaper option, and then beyond that, I’d be able to start working quicker," Sherman said. "If I ever wanted to go to college, I could always just go back." — Nora Toscano