Andrew Bruketta is leaving the Alaska Job Corps for a job. And it isn’t just any old job. It is a highly skilled position, with excellent benefits, leave and expected to pay well over 60,000 a year.

Andrew says frankly that Job Corps is whatever you make it. “Just show up and put in the work.” He adds, “You have a choice. You can leave with nothing. Or you can leave with everything.”

Andrew’s story is a beautiful one because he was the engine of his own change and he will be the driver of his own destiny.

Andrew says he dropped out of Palmer high school and sat around for four years– doing nothing. Then reluctantly he started Job Corps–but not without some apprehension. Andrew isn’t a social guy and the whole idea of roommates and classmates wasn’t appealing at all. But he adjusted as best he could and before he knew it he had passed his High School GED. Then within a few months, he passed his first certification in the Water Waste Water trade.

It was at that point that he realized, he could do this. The science started to make sense. He buckled down and passed four more certifications in the next six months—Small Water system, Distribution systems, Water Treatment systems and Collections. Boom. He was fully certified and sent to a work base learning internship at a Level 3 plant in Mount Hood Oregon. After this valuable on-the-job experience he easily passed his final Waste Water Treatment certification. This means he has obtained all of his state Provisionals and his CDL certification.

And now he has papers in hand for his new federal forestry position, Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator, at the Siuslaw National Forest Engineering Facilities, where he will be responsible for five small water plants.
Andrew says one of his big motivators was his instructor, Doug Abbas. “I have a great deal of respect for Doug and I didn’t want to ever disappoint him.”

He says, “Job Corps has helped me to grow into a responsible adult. I’m far more comfortable with communication now. And I have made some lifetime friends.” It is obvious that he has matured in a number of ways. He talks about how he even joined the Y2Y/P4P group on center which is a National Anti-Bullying and Anti-Violence initiative. “I joined it at first just to get a leadership position. But then I found out that I liked it. It was fun. We did public service projects and I liked helping out our community.”

Luanne Cross, Andrew’s Work Based Learning Specialist agrees. “Now Andrew can do anything he wants with his job career and climb the success ladder. Andrew is rolling and has acquired all the tools he needs to make a wonderful and independent life.”

The partnership with the Federal Forest Service is anticipated to grow. Alaska Job Corps and Timber Lake Job Corps have collaborated for more federal jobs for trained students. Both Center Directors Smith and Davis, along with DOL Program Manager Abrahams have worked hard to create this major opportunity.