From Charleston Job Corps to serving his country

Charleston Job Corps graduate Shaquan Siler is taking a new direction in his life following his graduation from Charleston Job Corps Center. Siler is now in Army basic training at Fort Jackson, N.C., preparing to serve his country. Siler enlisted in the U.S. Army on Feb. 19, and signed on to be trained as an Army Airborne Ranger, receiving a $10,000 sign-on bonus.

While at Charleston Job Corps, Siler received two national certifications in Telecommunications and Copper-Based Systems, increasing his employability and opportunities for success. Congratulations Shaquan on your success at Charleston Job Corps and on your new career path with the U.S. Army!

Perkins Job Corps volunteers for Operation Clean Sweep

Carl D. Perkins Job Corps students spent the week of March 16-20 at Jenny Wiley State Park cleaning up trash and debris from the lake after the recent flooding. The Security & Protective Service students, along with their Instructor Jeffory Aldrich, worked each day on the lake collecting tires, garbage, hot water tanks, and other debris from the lake.

“After the recent flooding to the area, this week was vital to the clean-up process,” said Julian Slone, the park manager. Over the course of the week students collected 4.76 tons of trash, about 1,000 more pounds than they collected last year, according to Slone. Each year, the Carl D. Perkins Job Corps and the Jenny Wiley State Park partner on many community service events and projects at the park.

MJCC hosts 35th Annual Community Easter Egg Hunt 

The Muhlenberg Job Corps Center recreation student leaders and staff hosted the center’s 35th Annual Community Easter Egg Hunt. The hunt, held on Saturday, March 28, attracted more than 100 children and parents geared up for a festive Easter Eggstravaganza!  The Muhlenberg Job Corps Center was covered with more than 2,000 brightly colored eggs filled with candy and prize tickets. The children enjoyed getting their pictures taken with the Easter Bunny, bouncing on inflatables, receiving stickers and balloons, and, of course, getting their face painted by a student recreation leader!  Every child left the center happy and with an Easter basket overflowing with eggs!

Career training + on-the-job experience = SUCCESS

Quality career training and on-the-job experience through work-based learning helped Marycait Hoke, 24, land a job as a data quality specialist with the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals. Hoke will be working in the Kanawha City location.

Before enrolling in the Office Administration career technical training program at the Charleston Job Corps Center in April 2014, Hoke graduated from Lincoln County High School in Hamlin, WV and attended Marshall University and West Virginia State University. While at CJCC, Hoke completed Work Based Learning at Area Wide Protective, Dunbar, WV, and Lyne Ranson’s Law Office on Kanawha Boulevard, Charleston, WV. At both WBL internships, she was responsible for answering telephones, completing time schedules, organizing files, copying and additional office duties. Hoke also worked on the CJCC student newspaper, typing and editing articles. James Brown, office administration instructor, said, “Marycait was one of my best Office Administration students and understood the philosophy of ‘Playing like a Champion Everyday’, as well as striving for excellence. I know that Marycait will do great things because she is truly a success story.”

Hoke thanks Mr. Brown and Steven Canterbury, administrative director, West Virginia Judiciary, who helped with her job placement. Her words of wisdom to current and future Job Corps students are: “Things may get hard, but if you can make it through, you will have a great reward.”

For Marycait and students like her, Job Corps works!

Honoring Job Corps grads at State Capitol in Frankfurt

Muhlenberg graduates

Fifteen students from the Muhlenberg Job Corps Center and 10 from Carl D. Perkins Job Corps were among student s honored March 26 at the historic Statewide Job Corps graduation at the Capitol Rotunda in Frankfort, KY. Students from each of the five Job Corps centers in Kentucky – Muhlenberg, Perkins, Whitney M. Young, Earle C. Clements and Great Onyx – participated in the event, which celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Job Corps program. Kentucky has the most Job Corps centers of any state in the nation.

Karen Robinson, business community liaison for MJCC, served as master of ceremonies.

Lt. Gov. Crit Luallen, the event’s honorary guest speaker, told graduates, “Everything you have accomplished thus far is very meaningful for your future, but more important are your morals and how you conduct yourself by giving back to your communities.”

Perkins graduates

Kentucky House Speaker Gregory D. Stumbo recalled the history of the Job Corps program, including when Sergeant Shriver first began to develop the Job Corps program.  “The Kentucky Commonwealth is very lucky to have so many centers serving such a great program, improving the lives of so many young adults,” Stumbo said. “Congratulations to each of you for your many accomplishments,” he told graduates.

Two former Job Corps students also spoke at the ceremony – DeeDee Perkins, who graduated from Whitney M. Young Job Corps, and Patrick McLevaine, who graduated from Earle C. Clements Job Corps.

Perkins shared her story of leaving home at 19, and living for a time at the Salvation Army before enrolling in Job Corps. She graduated from Whitney Young with her Certified Nursing Assistant and Medical Office Support certifications.   She urged graduates to “continue on from Job Corps with what you have learned, be successful, but never forget to thank those who have helped you along the way.  Those individuals may have been a parent, a grandparent, aunt, or Job Corps staff member.… Those individuals are priceless.”

All Job Corps students participating in state-wide ceremonies

McLevaine, who graduated from the automotive technician program at Earle C. Clements, shared, “I was kicked out of high school at the age of 15 for drugs.  I entered Job Corps with literally nothing.  I now own two vehicles and a house and I make all my payments the week before they are due.” Speaking directly to the new graduates, he said, “The only place you will find success before work is in the dictionary.  You must always work hard for what you plan to have in life. ”

Eric Jones, MJCC center director, conducted the tassel and gave closing remarks.

Muhlenberg JCC students participating in the state-wide ceremony are: Shania Beasley, Pharmacy Tech; George Brooks, Pharmacy Tech; Christine Chandler, Clinical Medical Assistant; William Cummings, Certified Nursing Assistant; William Day, Commercial Driver’s License; Aaron Dragoo, Welding; Kenyata Hayes, Heavy Equipment Operator; Jordan Hunt, Certified Nursing Assistant; Denise Joseph, Medical Office Support; Coty Laurilla, Medical Office Support; Stefanie Laverdure, Pharmacy Tech; Dorka Negash, Certified Nursing Assistant; Sabrina Nicholson, Medical Office Support; Camara Slappy, Medical Office Support; and David Stammer, Heavy Equipment Operator.

All Perkins students participating in the state-wide ceremony are from Kentucky. They are: Jonathan Day, Electrical; Jennifer Skidmore, Office Administration; Brittany Blevins, currently enrolled in Office Administration; Jessica Cook, Office Administration, currently enrolled in Culinary Arts; Paul Geiger, currently enrolled in Carpentry; Jacob Lytle, Culinary Arts, currently enrolled in Office Administration; Lawrence Lee, Security & Protective Services, now pursing Advanced Training within the Job Corps program; Devonte Lewis, High School Diploma, currently enrolled  in Security & Protective Services; Josiah McIntosh, HSD, Security & Protective Services, currently  enrolled in college, majoring in criminal justice; and Hakeem Mulholland, HSD, Office Administration.