Cluny Joseph-Savage needed a change. She felt out of place among her inner-city peers and struggled to stay out of trouble. One incident led to Cluny’s going before a judge to determine her future. Her social worker argued for Cluny to get a fresh start by attending Job Corps.
“She was my saving grace. That decision shifted my whole life.”
Cluny left Brooklyn when she was 16 years old to enroll in the Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) training program at Oneonta Job Corps.
“At that age, you’re so impressionable. I was influenced by people doing the same things I was doing. It was beneficial for me to get away and go to Job Corps.”
Job Corps was Cluny’s first exposure to campus life. She loved the activities and social activities on campus. The RAs served as her mentors, and her instructors were hands-on and pushed her to excel. The supportive environment gave Cluny a sense of balance.
“The instructors were the most instrumental. One tutored me in reading comprehension, so I could get a high score on my GED exam. She told me I was a great writer and pushed me to home in on those skills. Now, I’ve published my own journal. You could tell everyone cared, were invested in your future and wanted to see you succeed.”
Within a year and a half, Cluny graduated with her CNA training, GED and several credentials. She also gained the confidence and experience to further herself in work and life.
Cluny was accepted into the University of Albany, but life took her in a different direction. Cluny had a daughter, and it changed her outlook on life. She decided to go back home and attend Mercy College in Westchester. She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in organizational leadership.
Cluny’s Job Corps experience sparked her passion for learning and made it possible for her to excel in her educational and professional goals.
She worked with the Westchester Medical Center and Medical Staffing Network in Yorktown Heights for almost 20 years. She learned the health care business from the bottom up: recruiting, training and placing medical staff in hospitals that were in need.
“For me, there’s no disconnect between what I do now and psychology. You have to understand what motivates people and bring them together.”
Once Cluny was transferred to Texas, she started networking, attending chamber meetings and getting involved in her community. She even connected with Job Corps centers in Texas.
“When people from Job Corps realized where I got my start, it was like I was family. ‘You’re one of us!’”
Cluny moved to Dallas for a few years to work for AMN Healthcare before ultimately living and working in McKinney, Texas, where she now serves as a consultant for a health care talent acquisition firm and owns and operates her own food truck, CJ’s Kitchen Caribbean Cuisine & Catering.
“I’ve always been an entrepreneur by nature and have a broad concept of how to bring businesses together and get them up and running. I started CJ’s food truck because I noticed my community was lacking Haitian and Jamaican cuisine. Texans are very Texas, but people are relocating here and making the state more diverse. I thought ‘How can I add value?’ Food is a great equalizer for culture, so I brought Caribbean food to Texas and made it mobile!”
Cluny has used the “building blocks” from Job Corps in her education and work in health care and business for over 30 years.
“Everything I learned at Job Corps I have applied in life. There’s nothing I can say I haven’t used from my JC toolkit.”
Cluny not only achieved her dreams but set her daughter up for success, as well. Her daughter graduated from the State University of New York College of Agriculture and Technology in Cobleskill and now works for American Express and is a travel blogger.
Cluny’s next goal is starting a nonprofit organization to help foster kids at the same age she was when she needed direction. She also plans to franchise her food truck while continuing to serve as a health care consultant.
“Find your passion and what you’re really good at, and pursue those things. Take advantage of everything Job Corps has to offer and gain real-life experience. You’re not going to find something like it. College is great if you want the book experience, but you really need hands-on experience. That’s what sets Job Corps apart.”
Graduated from Job Corps in: March 26, 1992 Employer: Owner and Operator, CJ’s Kitchen Caribbean Cuisine & Catering, McKinney, Texas; Consultant, Healthcare Talent Acquisition Firm, McKinney, Texas Hometown: Brooklyn, New York Phone: 914-329-0738 Email: clunyjoseph@gmail.com Submitted by: Lydia Henry