Cheered by family, friends, and guests, 375 San Diego Job Corps students graduated on August 30, 2011 on the first-ever, nation-wide, National Job Corps Commencement Day.  San Diego’s graduates joined thousands of other Job Corps students who graduated on this day, which commemorated the creation of the National Job Corps Program in 1964.

During the past 47 years, more than 3 million low-income young people age 16-24 have been served by Job Corps, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Labor.  Students are offered 100 career technical training programs at Job Corps’ 124 centers.  They have the opportunity to receive expert technical training while earning a GED and high school diploma.  Nearly 86% of Job Corps graduates go on to find and keep jobs, continue to higher education, or enlist in the military.

San Diego’s commencement ceremony began with a video reflecting the center’s ethnic and racial diversity, as current students congratulated the graduates in their ancestors’ native language.  Social Development Director Melina Williams followed with words spoken by former President Jimmy Carter: “We have become not a melting pot but a beautiful mosaic.  Different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes, different dreams.”  Mrs. Williams added that what united all of the graduates on this day was their determination to succeed.

Job Corps Hotel and Lodging Program graduate speaker Steven Williams spoke of the changes in his life since arriving at Job Corps.  “I’m a witness that hard work does, and will get recognized,” he stated.  “Remember the hard work that all of us performed to get here today.”

Among the guests who took part in the ceremony were Imperial Beach Mayor Jim Janney and Ms. Jessica Gomez, Community Representative for Congressman Bob Filner.  Both offered their congratulations to the graduates and wished them continued success.

The graduation’s keynote speaker was Mr. Vance Anderson, Staffing Project Manager for Qualcomm Incorporated. Nine Job Corps students recently completed a summer internship with Qualcomm and Anderson praised the student interns for their outstanding performance. 

Mr. Anderson shared his personal story of growing up in a single parent household in Philadelphia, being on welfare, and at a young age realizing that education would lead to a better life.  He later graduated from high school, a community college, and Temple University.  “It took me 10 years to graduate,” he stated with a smile, “but I made it”.  Mr. Anderson continued that he was now in a job he loved at Qualcomm, and has the opportunity to change other peoples’ lives.  “The decisions you make now will determine your future success,” he advised the graduates.  “Stay focused and positive and you will succeed.”