Rashawn Williams was working at fast food restaurants in Colorado after high school but knew he wanted more. One customer changed his life after suggesting he check out Job Corps. Rashawn was already looking into programs and was very interested in firefighting. Once he found out about Collbran Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center and its […]
Forestry Conservation and Firefighting
Sara Shores
“I was living away from home and had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. My friend and I were living in a KOA [Kampgrounds of America] until it began snowing, and we each got low-wage jobs and an apartment. I was working in a restaurant during the day and hanging clothes […]
Kenneth Trapero
Kenneth Trapero enrolled in Angell Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center on Nov. 29, 2016, to study automotive maintenance; but it was not long after enrolling that he found his true passion as a wildland firefighter. After observing Kenneth’s work on the fire line, an assistant fire management officer suggested that he pursue a career with […]
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 […]
Christopher Patterson
Christopher Patterson grew up in foster care in Spokane, Wash., and from birth to 5 years old he was in receiving homes. He was then adopted by his foster parents and later placed back into care at age 12 due to years of abuse in the home. Despite the obstacles he faced throughout his childhood, […]
Chase Waters
“I recognized why I was there and was able to stay there for one main reason—bettering myself and realizing something good is going to come of this.” Chase Waters struggled with kidney issues for most of his life until he received a kidney from his mother. On April 21, 2011, Chase underwent a kidney transplant. […]
Tyler James Mockler
For Tyler James Mockler, it took Job Corps and the encouragement from the people at Job Corps to go from a depressed high school drop-out to a dedicated El Dorado Hotshots wildland firefighter trainee. Tyler always had a fascination with firefighting. Before Job Corps, he was a fire cadet; but he wanted to do more. […]
Levi White
Trapper Creek Job Corps graduate Levi White succeeded through the program, being named one of the Corpsmembers of the Year at the 2019 Corps Network National Conference in Washington, D.C. Although Levi already had his high school diploma and multiple jobs before enrolling in the program, Job Corps gave him the career training he needed […]