Taite Stephen first walked into Capalaba's Aussie Concrete Products for work experience as part of youth program Project Booyah.
So impressed were his hosts that they offered him a permanent job at the business, giving him the opportunity to build his skills and learn a trade.
Taite is one of the success stories of Project Booyah, a collaborative program between the government, community groups and the police to help at-risk youth develop real-world skills and prepare them for post-school life.
The program began on the Gold Coast but was extended to Capalaba last year. On Friday, 24 participants in this year's program, from the local program and others hosted simultaneously around Queensland, will graduate from the project.
Past graduates have gone on to vocational work like Taite, moved back into a school routine or even taken on further challenges including the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea.
Project Booyah incorporates adventure-based learning, social skills development, and better relationships with police, family and the wider community.
Participants also spend time at TAFE studying a Certificate II in Hospitality.
Detective Senior Sergeant Ian Frame said the project was one of the ways early intervention could help young people.
"We are continually amazed at how many young people have the courage to ask for help and want to change their lives," he said.
"Early intervention and improved relations with police and authority is an important step in helping to eliminate repeatedly exhibited anti-social tendencies, improve health, education and employment opportunities and reduce crime and incarceration rates of young people."
The Capalaba division of the program will continue to run in the future, with the semester projects alternating between male and female teenagers.
