Employers and representatives of various organizations met at the Alaska Job Corps Center on Thursday, March 9, for the first Community Relations Council meeting of the year. The employers and representatives came from organizations like the Matanuska Electric Association, Governor Walker’s Office, the Alaska Department of Labor, NeighborWorks Alaska, the City of Palmer and the United Way. The Mayor of Wasilla, Bert Cottle also attended.

The group mingled with each other, as well as Alaska Job Corps Center staff and students, to talk about Alaska Job Corps and potential jobs for our students. Center Director Malyn Smith spoke to the group about the importance of continuing to support Job Corps during our transition to a new federal administration, and she encouraged the individuals present to continue to show their support of our excellent program.

Five Alaska Job Corps recent graduates were featured and they each stood up to announce their names, their trades, their special skills and their future goals.
These students presented:

• Regina Fancyboy, Security and Protective Services
• Courtney Warner, Culinary Arts
• Aaron Kulhanek, Building Construction Maintenance
• Brittney Werschey, Accounting Services
• DeAnna Martin, Office Administration

Our Culinary Arts students prepared a fantastic meal for the event and at the end of the luncheon, Chef David Williams introduced each of them to the applause of the audience. Security and Protective Services students helped greet and escort each visitor to the event. The event demonstrated great teamwork between students in the different trades and staff in diverse positions.

The Alaska Job Corps Center is a federally funded career training program administered by the U.S. Department of Labor and managed by Chugach Educational Services, Inc. The Center is committed to providing the highest quality programs for young adults by offering instructions in academics, trades and life skills through innovative methods that respond to the unique individual and group needs of today’s youth.