The New Haven Job Corps Center has earned accreditation from the prestigious New England Association of Schools & Colleges, Inc.

Accreditation, which came in December following a two-year application process, indicates that the New Haven Center meets or exceeds the NEASC standards encompassing educational programs, faculty and staff, the student body, financial stability, community involvement, and the campus. It is an expression of confidence in the institution’s purposes, performance, and human and financial resources.

“The whole Center should be very proud of what we accomplished here,” said Dr. Deborah Wilkenfeld, NHJCC TABE Administrator. “It took a tremendous amount of teamwork to get this done.”

As a part of the lengthy accreditation process, the Center took part in a yearlong self-study that engaged the entire campus community in analysis, self-reflection, and planning. Following the self-evaluation, the NEASC accreditation committee visited the NHJCC for a final week-long review last spring and made a variety of recommendations for improvement.

An accreditation vote by NEASC was held in November, and the accreditation was granted. In December, NHJCC personnel attended the NEASC annual conference in Boston, where the Center was recognized for its achievement. The Center is planning an accreditation ceremony and open house for later in the year.

According to NHJCC Academic Manager Josiah Leighton, who attended the NEASC annual conference, “Accreditation legitimizes everything we do here at Job Corps. It means the credits earned at our Center, whether through our trades, high school diploma, or GED program, are recognized with a certain standard of excellence. It’s one more thing our students can proudly display on their resumes.”

New Haven Job Corps Center Academic Director Josiah Leighton (holding plaque)  accepted the NHJCC’s certificate of accreditation from the prestigious New England Association of Schools & Colleges, Inc. at the NEASC annual conference in Boston.  Also pictured (L-R) are NEASC President and CEO Jay Straud, NEASC Director Paul Bento, and James Brosnan, Chair of the Commission on Technical and Career Institutions of the NEASC Commission.  NEASC Provides accreditation services for more than 2,000 public and private institutions in the six state New England region.