Sharon McLaurin Oliver enrolled at Batesville Job Corps Center (now Finch-Henry Job Corps Center) in Mississippi in September of 1988. She wanted to leave her small hometown and find opportunities to grow and start her own life. Sharon’s sister enrolled in Job Corps first. After watching her sister succeed and enjoy the program, she decided […]
African-American
Khalil Perry
Khalil Perry always had a drive to succeed and credits his family for his can-do attitude. His journey with Job Corps began in 2014 at Turner Job Corps Center in Georgia. He enrolled in the Electrical program but with his eyes set on eventually becoming an overhead lineman. After graduating, Khalil realized he wanted to […]
De’Jonne McCorkle
One stint at Job Corps just wasn’t enough for De’Jonne McCorkle. After completing his Carpentry training, De’Jonne decided to follow his family’s footsteps in Electrical. “I wasn’t too big on school; but I heard from a friend that, within two years, I could get my high school diploma and a trade, then immediately get to […]
Tykuan Harris
“I went from being a high school dropout to being in the military. I am now independent, living alone and making my own money. I wasn’t on the streets, and I wasn’t homeless; but I needed to find a way out to do more, and I found it at Job Corps,” said Gary Job Corps […]
Shakia Smith
“Job Corps taught me discipline, how to listen and to budget,” explained Shakia Smith. “But the most notable thing I learned was to apply myself to everything I do.” When Cleveland Job Corps graduate Shakia was 18 years old and a high school graduate, she knew she wanted to take the right step toward her […]
Justin Speight
“I decided I needed to get out of my comfort zone—go do something different or have a greater skill set and not just work at the same job and not be happy about it. So that’s why I went to Job Corps.” Justin Speight is a lube technician apprentice at Hubert Vester Toyota in Wilson, […]
Carlos Ocasio
Carlos Ocasio is the head chef at Iannuccilli Cranston, a high-end Italian restaurant in Rhode Island, making $65,000 a year and leading his team. He’s in the process of hiring two former Exeter Job Corps students, the same center Justin graduated from in 2021. This full-circle moment wouldn’t have been possible if it weren’t for […]
Evan Etienne
Florida native Evan Etienne knew he wanted a better job than what he had, but he wasn’t sure what that job was or how to get it. That’s when he turned to Job Corps. At Miami Job Corps Center, Evan joined the Office Administration training program so he could learn the skills he would need […]
Jamahl Mason
Jamahl Mason spent much of his childhood fascinated with technology. His interest in computer games and MySpace evolved into passions for connecting with others online. His father worked for Job Corps, so he already knew well what the program had to offer and its value. However, Jamahl did not have a typical Job Corps journey. Jamahl’s […]
Philliecia Mack
“At first, I was like, ‘This is so stupid, why am I here?’ This is how I was thinking at 16 years old. But from the moment I arrived on campus, the Finch-Henry [Job Corps] community opened its arms to me, from fellow students to instructors, to cafeteria and dormitory staff; everyone accepted me for […]