Christopher P.

Christopher P. is the Regional Administrator for Region 9 of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Despite the obstacles he faced throughout his childhood, much of which he spent in foster care, Christopher never let them stand in his way as he worked to get to this point.

With the help of his foster parents and social worker, Christopher attended Curlew Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center in Washington state, and it was there that he learned the importance of speaking factually, having integrity, and making sure you and those you work with have class and dignity.

He also had a teacher who supported him throughout his time at Job Corps, helping Christopher gain the technical and interpersonal skills he needed to succeed.

After his Job Corps graduation, Christopher attended Spokane Community College, where he studied criminal justice and fire science and received his liberal arts degree. He then attended Eastern Washington University and received a degree in interdisciplinary studies in child psychology. He attended 12 years of school in total.

All put him on a path to who he is today, a leader in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Beatrice A.

Beatrice A. works as a certified nursing assistant at Brightview Senior Assisted Living & Memory Care in Virginia, thanks to her hard work and the skills and determination she gained at Job Corps.
 
Beatrice moved to the United States from Ghana, Africa, when she was 13. After earning her high school diploma, she initially decided not to pursue any additional education, because adjusting to school in the U.S. had been challenging for her. So, she went directly into the workforce, working for tips as a server at a local restaurant in Chantilly, Virginia.

However, she knew she wanted to open up more career opportunities for herself.
 
“I knew I didn’t want to work as a server for the rest of my life, so I started looking for opportunities to go back to school and discovered Job Corps,” Beatrice said. “The program is flexible and allows students to work at their own pace. I felt I would be able to learn effectively here.”
 
Beatrice decided to enroll in Blue Ridge Job Corps’ Certified Nurse Assistant career training program. After graduating, she passed the state board test for her nursing certification. Now, in her role as a certified nursing assistant at Brightview, she appreciates what she learned at Job Corps and how that helped her get to where she is today.
 
“The thing that impacted me most at Job Corps was that everyone was so helpful,” she said. “They took time to make sure that I learned the material and was prepared for my new career.”

Alvin B.

Alvin B. works as a fully licensed Mercedes-Benz automotive technician in Union, N.J., where he gets to do what he loves every day: updating and repairing luxury vehicles.

Alvin got his start toward this career when he enrolled at the Edison Job Corps Center, where he began Automotive training and gained leadership skills through being a dorm leader. He was so talented that, after completing his basic and advanced trainings, his instructor recommended him to the Master Automotive training offered at the Earle C. Clements Job Corps Center.

In master training, he continued to learn the skills needed to become an expert automotive technician. When representatives from Mercedes-Benz toured the center’s training facilities, a staff member introduced them to Alvin. Due to his professionalism and skill set, they suggested that he apply to the Mercedes-Benz DRIVE program, a highly selective and intense 16-week training program.

The fact that it was a hard program to get into didn’t deter Alvin. After going through the application process, he was accepted into the program, moved to Jacksonville, and completed the program while living at the Jacksonville Job Corps Center.

Alvin learned deductive reasoning and the major vehicle components and systems of Mercedes-Benz vehicles during the 3-month training. After he graduated, Mercedes-Benz was even able to place him at a facility back in New Jersey, near his home.

“Job Corps allowed me to become the master technician I am today,” Alvin said. “The program prepared me for the real world and taught me that, if you want something, you have to go get it. It’s a mindset I now have.”