Carl D. Perkins Job Corps alum Dwayne Clarke, 27, from Covington, GA, now works as the food and beverage supervisor for the Westin Birmingham Resort in Birmingham, AL. He remembers how important the work-based learning experience was for him when he was a student at Perkins Job Corps and is now working to make similar WBL opportunities available to other Job Corps students.

Clarke recently met with students in the Hotel Lodging career technical training program at the Gadsden Job Corps Center and the center’s work-based learning coordinator to discuss work-based learning opportunities with Westin. “I wanted to help the students at the Job Corps center because without the Job Corps program, I would not be where I am at today,” Clarke said.

Clarke graduated from Carl D. Perkins Job Corps in 2013, completing his training in Culinary Arts and Office Administration. He continued in the center’s Advanced Training Program, earning an associate’s degree in business administration from Big Sandy Community & Technical College, and being named to the college’s Dean’s List each semester. He then enrolled at the University of Kentucky to complete his bachelor’s degree in business.

He completed two work-based learning internships — one at the University of Pikeville and the other at the food service department at the Charleston Job Corps Center — and recalls that both “were amazing learning experiences.”

Perkins Job Corps graduate Dwayne Clark, center in blue sports coat, with students and staff from Gadsden Job Corps.