Job Corps celebrates 60th anniversary

Thursday in Minot, distinguished guests from Sens. John Hoeven’s and Kevin Cramer’s offices, the City of Minot, Minot State University, the Minot Police Department and others gathered to help Job Corps celebrate this achievement. The Job Corps as a program is also celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, sending more than 3 million people into the workforce, according to the Department of Labor.

Chelsie Terez Hultz, one of the program speakers, and a former instructor at the center, said Job Corps gave her the skills to get her feet on the ground and get a good start. She brought up the Job Corp motto: “Give us a year, and we’ll give you a lifetime.”

The Job Corps program is one of the oldest social programs, according to a letter from Cramer read at the event. Through the program, students are given food, housing, uniforms, education and training in various trades before entering the workforce to seek their success. The Job Corps is also a tuition free program and students even get paid to attend. The program was established by Lyndon B. Johnson’s administration in 1964, as part of the War on Poverty and Great Society initiatives.

“They treat us well here,” said culinary student Durwin Alcon. “We get free lodging, and the best part is that every meal is free.”

Ben Pifher/MDN
Durwin Alcon, a culinary student, helps serve food at a 60th anniversary event at Quentin Burdick Job Corps on Thursday.

Annette Mennem, one of the program speakers, spoke about diversities’ impact on the students and told of her experience.

“For me, seeing the staff, they’re bought into the program and they care about the students. It’s not a ‘nine to five’ job to them,” said Tom Ross, Minot’s mayor and member of the Job Corps staff. He spoke about the staff’s drive to see the students succeed. The key to the staff’s personal success, he said, is seeing the students’ successes.

Two graduations happen per year, Ross explained, each including 30-45 students per class, giving the center just under 100 graduates entering the workforce each year.

“Like every other employer, we’ve had to adapt to a changing workforce,” Ross said. “The jobs that were needed 10 years ago aren’t the same ones that are needed today.”

“These kids could jump into these positions,” Ross said, referring to the large workforce needs in the near future in the Minot area. When speaking of changes in the job market, Ross said Job Corps has the advantage of being poised to quickly adapt. He said representatives from Job Corps go into the community and ask what is needed. Based on answers given, Job Corps gets the students the skills needed to go straight to work, Ross said. Those skills include soft skills such as dress codes, time clocks and dependability.

The students also must work an internship, and much of the time the students get hired by the employers they do their internships with. Ross said the students are motivated, and he noted, “This is the first time some of them have had an address. They get the feeling of belonging, and the staff has built a level of trust. Then they come back much of the time and say thank you.”

Kaylon Ashes, a culinary student, recalled how Job Corps changed his life.

“I wasn’t doing well,” he said. His sister suggested the Job Corps, and “away I went, and now I’m doing better than ever,” he said.