As Felix Barragan planned for his future career path, he was first drawn to forestry. However, from his first step into the Carpentry shop at Angell Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center in Oregon, Felix knew he was home. Prior to enrolling at Job Corps, Felix worked landscaping, roofing and construction side jobs. With one foot […]
Construction
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 […]
John Hoskins
Kicked out of high school and waiting at a bus station in Cincinnati, John Hoskins heard about Job Corps for the first time. The Michigan native overheard bystanders discussing the Job Corps program and the recent success of someone they knew after graduating. Without much else to do, John decided to look into the program […]
Shayla Shoemaker
“I was a high school dropout,” Shayla Shoemaker said. “As soon as the dropout paperwork was signed, my resource officer told me I needed to sign up for Job Corps. He said that I was too bright to just give up.” Shayla was ready to succeed. Her Job Corps journey began in 2019 when she […]
Andie Beltran
Andie Beltran knew it was going to be tough. They had no prior experience with carpentry. But did that stop them? No. Andie swore in as a member of Local 1503 in the United Brotherhood of Carpenters (UBC) in Portland, Ore., and is now a first term apprentice general carpenter earning $26 an hour. “Everyone […]
Raymond Barley
Raymond Barley keeps a notebook where he writes his goals down—and at just 20 years old, he already has a lot of items checked off his list. He is a first-year apprentice with the carpenters union and works as a foreman on a construction site. Just a few years ago, though, his life looked very […]
Allen Furniss
After having to be self-reliant from a young age and not feeling a sense of direction, Allen Furniss dropped out of high school at age 14. He moved across the country searching for a place of belonging and purpose. At 18 years old, Allen knew he needed to turn his life around fast and reached […]
Tyler Harris
“Hey, Mr. Castle, I want to say how Flatwoods changed my life …” Before Job Corps, Tyler Harris was getting into a lot of trouble. He graduated from high school but found himself making the wrong decisions. “I’ve always been a hard worker, and I love working with my hands. I had no idea about […]
Kasandra Miranda
Kasandra Miranda was no stranger to setting high expectations for herself when she first arrived at Cassadaga Job Corps Center in March 2020. Before she even set foot on campus, she had taken bold steps to improve her life by getting sober at 23. She wouldn’t get to begin her program in earnest until September […]
Tony Flowers
“The highlight of my time at Job Corps was my instructors. They made me who I am today.” When Tony Flowers first arrived at the Gary Job Corps Center, he was looking for a way to make money so he could purchase his own clothes. He had always worked dead-end jobs, including shoveling the snow […]