In just a few short years, Richard Johnson went from being new to the United States to working for the federal government—and Job Corps is the secret to his success.
Richard was born in Liberia on the west coast of Africa; but when he was a young adult, his family chose to immigrate to the United States to seek a better life. His mother arrived first, then filed an application for him to follow. He made it to U.S. soil in early 2009, but his family could not afford to send him to college. That’s when he learned about the free career training and education available to him through Job Corps.
“My parents were not exactly thrilled for me to leave home,” Richard said, “but when that Greyhound bus ticket arrived in the mail, I was so excited and ready to go.”
He enrolled at Harpers Ferry Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center in West Virginia and chose the
Office Administration training program, so that he could learn computer and software skills he would need for the job market. He wanted to take advantage of all that Job Corps had to offer him, though—not just career training. While Richard learned to speak English in Liberia, Job Corps staff helped him perfect his grammar and learn how to write a resume. He also learned how important it is to develop interpersonal skills like punctuality, demeanor and the ability to form meaningful relationships. After all he learned, he was even able to help his mother with her own resume.
“I strived to set an example for other students at the center by working hard in my studies, fulfilling my responsibilities, and showing respect to the staff and my fellow students,” Richard said.
Richard served as vice president of the Student Government Association and helped implement new ideas to improve the student experience. His ideas included giving out “certificates of appreciation” and $5 gift cards to recognize students for their accomplishments, as well as organizing a soccer team that competed with teams from other Job Corps centers. As part of the work-based learning program, he interned as a forestry technician at the Monongahela National Forest in Elkins, W.Va.
“The education and skills that I acquired at Job Corps opened up a pathway forward for my future,” Richard said. “It was through my time at Harpers Ferry that I learned how to achieve independence, a skill that continues to give me the confidence and the freedom to chart my own course.”
After graduating from Job Corps, Richard intended to continue his studies at college, but found it too expensive. He had been encouraged to take the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) while on center, so he decided to enlist in the U.S. Army Reserves and began volunteering for FEMA. He eventually secured a full-time job with FEMA. There, he used the skills he learned at Job Corps to help asylum seekers at the southwest border receive aid as they, too, safely entered the United States.
Richard worked with FEMA for four years before accepting a new position with the United States Secret Service. In his current role as a financial management specialist, he oversees the purchase card program for the entire Secret Service, including the protective divisions for the president and vice president. He’s been at the forefront of major technological innovations within the service and recently graduated from an executive leadership program that will help him continue his success.
“With my humble beginnings, it was Job Corps that set me on a course with a trajectory that years later enables me to achieve my career aspirations,” Richard said. He credits the teachers, counselors and other staff at Job Corps for the positive impact they had on his life and the lives of many others. “I thank them for all they do. As a result of their hard work and dedication, my life has been changed forever.”
Graduated from Job Corps in: 2012 Employer: Financial Management Specialist (U.S. Secret Service); Senior Airman, Commander Support Staff (U.S. Air Force Reserves) Hometown: Monrovia, Liberia Phone: 304-616-1874 Email: richard.m.johnson@usss.dhs.gov Submitted by: Hannah Purdy Notes:
Source: Emily Spriggs, IT Instructor, Harpers Ferry Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center