The Charleston Job Corps Center (CJCC) operating under Horizons Youth Services (HYS) held its 3rd annual Father’s Day Celebration for students on Friday, June 17, 2016 at 2:30 p.m. in the Center Director’s conference room with staff speaker Clifford Hammond, Career Transition Readiness. Hammond has been employed with the center for 36 years.

Tia Welch, Business Community Liaison opened the event with a welcome and stated the purpose of the event. “We are here to show you our love and support for the decision to obtain your career technical training and academics. This event is held to give you encouragement and words of wisdom from other fathers to fulfill your responsibilities and goals.”

Guest speaker Clifford Hammond is a husband and father of five. He told the young fathers, “Be sure you get the education and training here at Job Corps to make a good life for your child.” Additional staff including Raymond Blust, F & A Director, Andrew Walters, Career Services Director, Steve Mullins, Finance Manager and Shawn Blees, Information Technology were on hand to provide words of wisdom. Hammond instructed the young fathers to show love to their child and reminded them, “Anybody can be a dad, but to be a genuine father includes taking responsibility.” CJCC student fathers recognized were Amir Bing, Sharif Billiard, Casey Hicks and Deshawn Brown. Father’s Day will be observed nationally on Sunday, June 19, 2016.

Job Corps is a no-cost education and career technical training program administered by the U.S. Department of Labor that helps young people ages 16-24 improve the quality of their lives through career technical and academic training. The Charleston Job Corps Center is overseen by the Philadelphia Regional Office of Job Corps and is operated by Horizons Youth Services.