Getting a good job can be tough for anyone, especially if you have a criminal record.

A Mount Vernon program is giving young people, regardless of their past, a new lease on life.

Guandell Swanson, who struggled to find work after being released from prison last year, was one of a dozen students who earned a highly sought-after certificate on Thursday that qualifies him to work on any construction site.

"What I've done is already done," Swanson said. "I can't change it. The only thing I can do is move forward."

The six-month intensive construction skills class is sponsored by City Councilman Andre Wallace, a contractor himself.