Where Are They Now? Louis Shepherd, Cohort 8

Imagine our surprise - and delight - when we heard a familiar voice at the front desk… It was Louis Shepherd, a Skills to Launch graduate from two years ago, dropping by to say hello and share how far he’s come. 

At graduation, Louis accepted an offer to become Assistant Chief Engineer at The Capital Hotel - and we cheered him on with pride. Since then, life has continued to grow and change. Louis now holds the position of Chief Engineer at Courtyard Marriott, where he brings not only technical skills, but also empathy, professionalism, and heart to his work every day.

When asked about his favorite part of the job, he didn’t hesitate:

“Meeting people and making someone’s day with a problem solved.”

He also shared how much his Industrial Operations cohort still means to him—he stays in touch with classmates and even brought one onto the Marriott team.

Louis, your journey reminds us all what’s possible when talent meets opportunity, and we couldn’t be more proud. Thank you for stopping by and continuing to inspire the next generation.

And yes, that’s his sweet baby girl in the photo. 

Funny thing… when Louis first discovered Skills to Launch, he thought, “Surely this is clickbait.”

Spoiler alert: it wasn’t.

Louis’s journey is proof that Skills to Launch is the real deal—and we’ve got the full story straight from him in this video.