Vernell Birks, from Saginaw, MI felt that he had not yet accomplished anything and really had nothing to show for the first 23 years of his life. Vernell struggles with ADHD and was always distracted and getting off task, making school very difficult for him. Vernell barely passed high school.

After high school, Vernell was accepted in to college, but felt that the time wasn’t right, and that he would attend the next year. He continued to put it off and when he finally decided it was time, he hit some roadblocks that prevented him from attending.

Vernell’s mother suggested Job Corps and Vernell looked into the program and decided to sign up. But due to the temporary enrollment freeze in the Summer of 2012, Vernell had to wait several months before being able to come to the Gerald R. Ford Job Corps Center on September 18^th 2012, but he said it was worth the wait.

Since being on center, Vernell has completed the security trade, holds a student leadership title, was student of the month, received the student mentor award, and is the ambassador, and secretary of the security trade. Vernell’s latest accomplishment was being 1 of 10 hired by The Grand Hotel, on Mackinac Island, where he will be working as a night watchman throughout the summer. Vernell stated that “Job Corps is not easy, but sometimes you have to do things that you don’t want, to get to where you want to be.”

After completing the Job Corps program, Vernell plans on attending college to further his education. “Job Corps has taught me about responsibility and how to stand on my own two feet. It has helped to prepare me for the outside world” said Vernell.

Gerald R. Ford Job Corps Center student Vernell Birks