About Solid Ground
Trades Training
Our Mission
At Solid Ground Trades Training, we believe that meaningful work creates purpose, opportunity, and hope.
Our mission is to provide hands-on skilled trades training, mentorship, workforce readiness, and employment opportunities that help individuals gain confidence, develop valuable skills, and build a future they can be proud of.
Whether someone is entering the workforce for the first time, changing careers, or looking for a fresh start, we are committed to helping them take the next step forward through practical training, real-world experience, and meaningful opportunity.
Building Skills. Restoring Lives. Creating Futures.
Our Story
Solid Ground Trades Training was founded on a simple belief:
A skill in someone's hands can change a life.
Our founders bring together more than 50 years of combined experience in skilled trades, workforce development, recruiting, and job placement. Through their careers, they have witnessed firsthand how meaningful work can transform lives, strengthen families, and create opportunities for a brighter future.
Mario Rodriguez | Lead Instructor
For more than 25 years, Mario Rodriguez built his career in tile installation, remodeling, and construction, working on residential, commercial, and multi-family projects throughout Texas. Known for his craftsmanship, strong work ethic, and commitment to quality, Mario spent decades mastering his trade while providing for his family through honest, skilled labor.
Today, his passion is sharing that knowledge with others. As Lead Instructor, Mario is committed to helping participants develop practical jobsite skills, confidence, accountability, and a strong work ethic. He believes that everyone deserves the opportunity to learn a trade, build a career, and create a better future. His goal is to pour his experience, knowledge, and encouragement into the next generation of skilled tradespeople and individuals seeking a fresh start.
Laura Rodriguez | Program Director & Job Placement Specialist
For more than 25 years, Laura Rodriguez has dedicated her career to workforce development, recruiting, staffing, and helping people find employment opportunities. Throughout her career, she has worked closely with employers and job seekers, helping connect thousands of individuals with meaningful work and career opportunities.
Helping people find jobs has never been just a profession for Laura—it has been a passion.
She understands the confidence, stability, and hope that meaningful employment can bring to individuals and families. As Program Director and Job Placement Specialist, Laura is committed to helping participants move from training to employment by providing workforce readiness support, employer connections, interview preparation, and job placement assistance.
Together, Mario and Laura created Solid Ground Trades Training to combine practical skills training with employment opportunities, mentorship, and encouragement—helping individuals build not only careers, but brighter futures.