Julian Gray-Ferrer had a major goal for his future—to start and operate his own heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) company. He knew Job Corps would help him gain the technical skills needed to reach his goal. What Julian wasn’t expecting was that he would acquire interpersonal skills that would become just as important. […]
African-American
Cia-Simone Newell
Cia-Simone Newell was ready for a change. On March 5, 2019, she arrived at the Cleveland Job Corps Center to study Building Construction Technology. She had previously graduated from Bedford High School and was excited to pursue additional education. Cia-Simone was ready to train hard and wasted no time earning credentials in Building Construction Technology, […]
Aleah Hargrove
“We say all the time how we wish we were able to go back. Job Corps was a great experience. It gave me most of the skills that I needed to get to where I am now. It definitely gave me the feeling of independence.” Aleah Hargrove left high school at 15 years old. Since […]
Julian Roth
Julian Roth attended Job Corps with the intention of only completing his Computer Technician training in the Information Technology program. Little did he know, Harpers Ferry Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center would provide him an opportunity to join the fire program. The fire program was a work-based learning experience where Julian was introduced to the […]
Antonio Forston
Before coming to Job Corps, Antonio Forston was homeless. He found himself running with a bad crowd after aging out of foster care, and a friend suggested that he look into Job Corps as a means to make something of himself. Originally, Antonio was only interested in joining so that he could get his driver’s […]
Jozimar Matimano
Jozimar Matimano’s life is one built on a foundation of determination, perseverance, and hard work. A refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Jozimar has faced and overcome more obstacles than most 25-year-olds. In 2016, Jozimar’s family of eight arrived in Manchester, N.H., for the first time after leaving a refugee camp in Uganda, where […]
Isaiah Amill
A high school dropout, Isaiah Amill was struggling to figure out what he wanted in life and what career goals to pursue. Then, he heard about Job Corps from his sister, a 2010 Home Health Aide graduate of the program. “My sister loved the program,” Isaiah explained. “She encouraged me to attend and told me […]
Shameka Batchelor
Shameka Batchelor is on the front lines fighting COVID-19 in O’Fallon, Ill., where she has been since April 2020. She is making an impact every day in her patients’ lives, supporting and caring for them, while she’s hundreds of miles away from her family. Originally from Long Island, N.Y., Shameka heard about Job Corps through […]
Tre Benjamin
When first arrived at the Gulfport Job Corps Center, he was determined to better himself. He immediately began pursuing his goals to find a purpose and jumpstart his career. Tre was born in Naples, Italy, and grew up in a military family that was always traveling from one place to the next. As he got […]
Mekayla Gresham
Down on her luck and lacking clarity for her future, Mekayla Gresham was homeless and encountering countless dead ends. That was until she saw an advertisement for Job Corps on television. Job Corps offered Mekayla a safe place to live, free meals and career training, and ultimately, a community. Mekayla enrolled at Brunswick Job Corps […]