Carl D. Perkins Job Corps Center joined 126 Job Corps centers across the country to celebrate the 5^th Annual “National Job Corps Commencement Day” ceremony August 21, 2015 to congratulate the Job Corps students who showed Job Corps Works! by completing the program this year.

Recent Job Corps graduates employed in KY, employer partners, local policymakers, community leaders, family members and many others recognized these students’ achievements and the investment they made in their futures and community.

“A statement that Congressman Rogers uses often, Plan Your Work, Work your Plan. You the students have made a plan for your future by coming to the Perkins Job Corps Center” said Adam Rice District Field Rep for Congressman Rogers office, the keynote speaker at Carl D. Perkins Job Corps ceremony.

Carl D. Perkins is one of 126 Job Corps centers located across the country. A unique national program, Job Corps offers at-risk youth a set of diverse academic opportunities and career pathways tailored to meet the needs of business and industry. Each year, Job Corps gives tens of thousands of youth a second chance to complete their education and advance into careers, higher education or the military.

Job Corps has served more than 2.7 million out-of-work young adults and underserved youth nationally. Many are high-school dropouts or public-assistance recipients, and Job Corps helps them become active contributors to their communities.

In April 2015, the entire Job Corps community gathered in Washington, D.C., to commemorate the 50^th Anniversary of the program. As part of this celebration, supporters heard stories from current and former students, staff and businesses about the tremendous benefits that Job Corps provides to communities across the country, including Prestonsburg, KY.

Local business leaders John and Jean Rosenberg along with several graduates’ families attended the ceremony at the Carl D. Perkins Center to support a program that benefits the local economy. The average Job Corps center supports 228 local jobs, and every dollar invested in Job Corps returns almost $2 to the local economy. Nationally, the 126 Job Corps centers support about 30,000 jobs, the vast majority of which are with private businesses.

Local community members who have worked with Job Corps volunteers also joined the celebration to congratulate many of their student volunteers. Job Corps students and staff work with local community-based organizations and nonprofits, logging many hours of volunteer service every year. For example, Carl D. Perkins Job Corps students work with KY Special Olympics, Appalachia Hospice, Sr. Olympics, Floyd County Animal Shelter, and Shriners Hospitals to provide needed services.

“Celebrating Job Corps graduates is always special, but the 5th Annual Commencement Day comes at an especially important time,” said NJCA CEO Lonnie P. Taylor. “The Job Corps community – young people, their families, center staff, operators, community leaders, community partners and supporters – were recently part of a wonderful celebration of the 50^th Anniversary of the program. This milestone has reinvigorated our community and its commitment to making the next 50 years even better than the last.　

“The staff and students have worked hard to transform futures that will lead to a lifetime of success.　 Their devotion is why Job Corps has such strong bipartisan support in Congress and why it continues to be the most successful job training program for America’s jobless youth.”