Kadar C.

With no plans for the future after dropping out of high school, Kadar C. found himself at a crossroads as he tried to figure out which way his life was headed. That was until his foster mother signed him up for Job Corps, helping him choose a path of stability and success with a career in facilities maintenance. “I am grateful my foster parents encouraged me to enroll in Job Corps, because I had lost my way.”

While enrolled at the center in Cleveland, Ohio, Kadar was motivated to succeed. He earned his high school diploma from Penn Foster and trained in Job Corps’ Building Construction Technology program, gaining Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 10 and Scaffolding certifications.

Kadar says he appreciates the staff, who were patient with him, encouraged him to stay focused, and took the time to listen to him when he was struggling.

“Job Corps changed me mentally and pushed me into a better, successful life,” he said.

Kadar graduated in December 2019 and now works in facilities maintenance at the Grande Pointe Healthcare Community.

 

---

 

Bosilka N.

Three months sober from drugs, recently failing out of college, and without a job or direction for her future, Bosilka N. found herself living at her grandparents’ house, uncertain of how to make her lifelong dream of becoming a nurse into a reality.

“Although I was sober, my life was still going nowhere. I had no life skills … all I had was a desire to move ahead in life. I remembered hearing about Job Corps from my sister. I applied the same day, and within a month, I was on a plane headed for what was going to be the most life-changing experience.”

When she arrived at the Hawaii Job Corps Center in Waimanalo, Bosilka began her training in the Certified Medical Assistant and Certified Nursing Assistant training areas. She demonstrated every day that, no matter the adversities life throws at you, anything can be achieved with hard work.

“Job Corps helped me develop a work ethic and a drive for success I had never had in my life. The teachers and my counselor helped me to believe in myself and strive for my goals.”

The hard work paid off, and Bosilka aced every test and became a star student. Eager to share the opportunities offered at Job Corps and her firsthand experience with others, Bosilka started attending job fairs across the island. Additionally, she worked as a recreation aide on center during the week and held a job off center to pay off debt she had accumulated from her two semesters at college.

“At Job Corps, you get out what you put in. You have to be ready to apply yourself, and you will be able to see how the program will work in your life. That is what happened to me,” she said.

Bosilka is currently a pre-nursing student at Hawaii Community College with a 4.0 GPA and is one class away from being eligible to apply to the nursing program.

“I want to become a registered nurse and get my BSN, and because of Job Corps, I am almost there!”

 

---

 

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. But he wasn’t always able to have his work be so fulfilling.

When Alvin was 18, he was working a retail job in Somerset, N.J., and felt directionless in his career. That’s when a friend at church mentioned Job Corps to him. “Every Sunday at church, people would ask me about college; but I knew college wasn’t for me,” Alvin said. So when my friend told me about Job Corps, all its benefits, and how I could learn a trade for free, I decided to check it out.”

In just a few weeks, Alvin was enrolled at the Edison Job Corps Center, where he began his Automotive training. While learning his career training, Alvin became a dorm leader and an exemplary student for his peers to follow. He was so talented that, after completing his basic and advanced trainings, his instructor recommended to him the Master Automotive training offered at the Earle C. Clements Job Corps Center.

Alvin was soon taking his master training at the Clements center, where he continued to learn the skills needed to become an expert automotive technician. One day, when representatives from Mercedes-Benz were touring the center’s training facilities, a staff member introduced Alvin to them. Due to his professionalism and skill set, they suggested that he should 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, and after going through the application process, he was accepted into the program. Job Corps paid for him to move to Jacksonville and complete 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 continued. “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.”

 

---

 

Kaylyn H.

After graduating from high school, Kaylyn H. was working at a retail job and felt that she was lacking direction in her career. That’s when her mother told her about Job Corps, and she looked into the free training she could receive there.

She soon enrolled at the IndyPendence Job Corps Center and began training in Office Administration. While she was receiving her training, she also began tutoring other students. The teachers noticed her ability to connect with other students, as well as her leadership qualities.

They encouraged her to run for SGA president, and she did and won. “At first I didn’t think I was ready, but I took a chance,” Kaylyn said. “Being the SGA president gave me a huge boost of confidence. I stepped up to the plate, and it was totally worth it.”

Kaylyn credits Job Corps with her ability to land and succeed at her current job, saying that the certifications and training she got at IndyPendence are only half the story. “Job Corps is more than just training. I learned life skills, upped my critical thinking abilities, and went through so much personal growth and development there.”

“I would tell anyone who is thinking about Job Corps to open their mind to new opportunities. I did and it made a huge difference in my life. I wouldn’t be where I am today without Job Corps.”