Charleston Job Corps Center joined 126 Job Corps centers across the country to celebrate the 6th Annual “National Job Corps Commencement Day” ceremony August 18, 2017 to congratulate the Job Corps students who showed Job Corps Works! by completing the program this year.

Recent Job Corps graduates employed in West Virginia, 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.

Keynote speaker was Jason Pizatella, Deputy Chief of Staff, Office of Governor Jim Justice at Charleston Job Corps Center’s ceremony. Congressional remarks were presented by Kali Vernon, Office of U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito, Brian Aluise, Office of U.S. Senator Joe Manchin III and Michael Chirico, Office of Congressman Evan Jenkins.

Charleston Job Corps Center is one of 126 Job Corps centers located across the country. A unique national program, Job Corps offers underserved 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.

Local business leaders attended the ceremony at Charleston Job Corps 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, Charleston Job Corps Center students work with YWCA, Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club, Susan G. Komen Foundation and Charleston Area Alliance.