From a teen in the division of youth corrections to a supervisor of a commercial maintenance company, George Calix proved he could take advantage of an opportunity in front of him and succeed.
George got in trouble with law enforcement, was on probation, and eventually was placed in the division of youth corrections around 16 years old. The light at the end of the tunnel for George was Job Corps. The division of youth corrections presented George with an opportunity to go to Job Corps to get on the right path for success. George decided to attend Job Corps and was excited for the chance to graduate from high school through the program. He would do much more than that.
At Collbran Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center in Colorado, not too far from his hometown of Glenwood Springs, George tried to fit in with his peers. While he wasn’t heavily involved with activities on campus at the beginning, George would eventually take advantage of the opportunity and become a great leader. George not only received his high school diploma and carpentry and facilities maintenance credentials, but he became dorm president, peer counseling president, and vocational president and received his gold coat, presented to the top leaders on center.
“Once I actually realized the opportunities I had in front of me, I took advantage of all of them and really got plugged in.”
George also had work-based learning experiences on center and in New Mexico, both through the National Forest Service, working on projects for signage and building an office.
His mentors helped him throughout his 2 years on center. Gove Aker, the center director at the time, was influential, especially since George had to check in with him often because of his circumstances before Job Corps. His dorm staff also helped him learn what it meant to be a leader with integrity and honesty.
George’s Job Corps experience exceeded his expectations, not only with the skills he learned that he still uses every day, but with the community and activities Job Corps offered. He appreciated being able to do the things he always liked to do, especially sports. He made friends he still talks to today.
George worked his way up and is now a supervisor for MC Commercial Real Estate. He continues to do the things he learned at Job Corps, including electrical, plumbing, and dry wall and has even increased his knowledge in heating and air conditioning.
“I’m thankful that I was able to get my foot in the door and really appreciated the trades. I think that is one of the things that may be lacking in our culture now—people in the trades and the kind of work they do.”
He now works in the management side helping those around him, especially younger techs. George has established his life in Colorado and even bought a house 3 years ago for his family. George is continuing to strive for more success and wants to receive certifications in refrigerant, air conditioning, and heating.
When asked what advice he would give to a potential or current Job Corps student, George said, “Take it serious and understand that [Job Corps] will really benefit them as they get older and think about their careers and their life—just life in general, being able to buy a home someday or finance a car. These are the steps to achieve that goal.”
Graduated from Job Corps in: November 2011 Employer: MC Commercial Real Estate Hometown: Glenwood Springs, Colorado Email: Calixg7@gmail.com Submitted by: Becca Sweredoski Notes:
Employment: Supervisor; MC Commercial Real Estate; Colorado Springs, Colorado
Salary: n/a
Source: Department of Agriculture, U.S. Forest Service (Jesse Casterson, MA – Realignment Coordinator – Forest Service)