At just 27, Alex Yciano has already experienced enough challenges for several lifetimes. But today, Yciano stands on a path of resilience and hope, transformed by determination and support from the Butte County Office of Education’s (BCOE) Back 2 Work program.

Yciano’s aspirations began in childhood, where his fire truck-themed bed reflected his early fascination with firefighting. But a difficult adolescence marked by addiction, homelessness, and incarceration derailed those dreams.

“I wasn’t living; I was just surviving,” Yciano said. “I made decisions to get by, not for my future.”

After his release, Yciano began piecing his life back together. Job prospects were slim in the secluded community of Templeton, but Yciano stayed determined. That’s when Kristen Rocha, a BCOE operations coordinator at Back 2 Work, entered the picture. Rocha oversees crews and recalls her first encounter with Yciano as a turning point.

“From the very beginning, Alex was proactive,” Rocha said. “I always tell participants, ‘I’ll work as hard as you do,’ and Alex met me halfway and then some. He took advantage of every opportunity.”

Back 2 Work is a statewide reentry program that helps individuals transitioning from incarceration build job skills and find employment opportunities. Funded through partnerships with state and local agencies, the program connects participants to hands-on work experience and personalized mentorship. For Yciano, this program became the springboard for achieving a lifelong dream.

Through Rocha, Yciano connected with the Forestry and Fire Recruitment Program (FFRP), an organization that helps individuals pursue careers in firefighting. Yciano’s background initially made him hesitant to pursue such a role, but Rocha offered reassurance.

“I told him, ‘Your past doesn’t define your future,’” Rocha said. “Once he started, it was off to the races.”

Yciano soon found himself commuting hundreds of miles weekly between Templeton and Oakland to attend a fire academy. The journey was grueling, but Yciano didn’t waver.

“If I didn’t make this opportunity happen, I knew I’d waste the chance I had been given,” he said.

In December, Yciano graduated at the top of his class and received the prestigious Buffalo Soldier Award, recognizing his integrity, duty, and leadership.

“Graduating was astonishing,” he said. “It proved to me that I can achieve bigger goals if I put in the work.”

Today, Yciano is preparing for a career in firefighting, a dream he describes as deeply personal. As a kid, he always wanted to make a difference in people’s lives. Now, he has the chance to do it.

Rocha, who has guided many participants through the Back 2 Work program, says Yciano’s story stands out.

“He’s the epitome of what this program is about,” Rocha said. “Mistakes happened, but Alex didn’t just correct them—he’s creating a future that’s brighter than anyone could have imagined.”

Yciano has rededicated himself to his family, supporting three children, his partner, and her daughter.

“To help my family, I had to help myself first,” he said. “They grow and thrive because I’ve built a stronger foundation for us.”

For Yciano, firefighting is more than a job—it’s the fulfillment of a childhood dream and a testament to the resilience of the human spirit.

“I’ve learned that you can’t change the past, but you can learn from it,” he said. “That’s what I’m doing every day—living, not just surviving.”

Travis Souders is the editor of BCOE Today and the Communications Officer at the Butte County Office of Education.

For more information about BCOE Back 2 Work, click here.