“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 […]
Missouri
Alexia Boston
Alexia Boston was determined to create a life she loved for herself and her two children. She dreamed of going to college after high school and becoming a doctor, but life didn’t work out as she expected. After years of working part-time retail jobs to make ends meet for her family, Alexia felt her dreams […]
Angelus Imaniriho
In September 2016, Angelus Imaniriho moved to the United States at 20 years old. Before leaving his home in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angelus was in a refugee camp. Moving to the United States presented several challenges for Angelus. For one, he was in 11th grade back home, but in the United States […]
Rashaad Smith
Originally from Natchez, Miss., Rashaad Smith stumbled upon Job Corps after searching the internet for job opportunities. He had never heard of Job Corps before but was intrigued by the program and the free training. After graduating from high school in 2013, Rashaad was doing temporary work. He worked at a Walmart distribution center and […]
Tre Benjamin
When first arrived at the Gulfport Job Corps Center, he was determined to better himself. He immediately began pursuing his goals to find a purpose and jumpstart his career. Tre was born in Naples, Italy, and grew up in a military family that was always traveling from one place to the next. As he got […]
Frederica Okine
When Frederica Okine moved from Ghana to the United States, she brought with her a passion for helping others and a desire to go into the medical field. Her grandmother told her about Job Corps, and after researching it online, she knew it was the place she needed to be. “I researched Job Corps and […]
Deandre Gwynn
“Before Job Corps, interacting with others was a challenge. Now, it’s one of my favorite parts of my job.” Job Corps not only gave Deandre Gwynn the technical skills for his career but helped him gain the interpersonal skills and professionalism that he uses every day. Deandre initially went to college as his “plan A,” […]