What is Job Corps?

Job Corps is a no-cost education and vocational training program administered by the U.S. Department of Labor to help young people ages 16 through 24 improve the quality of their lives through vocational and academic training. It is the largest and most successful residential and educational workforce training program for economically disadvantaged youth in the United States. This voluntary program serves nearly 65,000 young Americans every year and has trained and educated more than two million young people since the first Job Corps center opened in 1965.

Through a promising partnership with the National Apartment Association Education Institute (NAAEI), students in Job Corp are being placed at apartment communities to continue their education with on-the-job training. As a result, many graduates have taken full-time jobs in the apartment industry.

This partnership gives apartment companies the opportunity to take an entry-level maintenance employee and mold them for the industry. “We look at the program as a pipeline of skilled maintenance employees,” says Maureen Lambe, Executive Vice President for NAAEI.

Benefits of the NAA Education Institute partnership with Job Corps

The NAA Education Institute (NAAEI) is partnered with the National Job Corps Association because Job Corps has the trained facilities maintenance technicians and office managers that the apartment industry needs.

With 122 Job Corps Centers spread across 48 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, Job Corps is uniquely positioned to cater to the National Apartment Association members.

The Job Corps training program covers a wide range of skills aimed at preparing students for the workplace through hands-on training. The Job Corps Facilities Maintenance Training Achievement Record (TAR) details the requirements of the program. Each TAR includes a section for “Regional/Employer Specific Skills” so that Job Corps centers can cater student training to the needs of employers.

Job Corps students can be hired  full-time after graduation or before graduation on a Work-Based Learning basis. Work-Based Learning is like an internship in that students have completed most of their training but have not graduated from Job Corps.

 NAA’s units Magazine article - April 2009

This article tells the story of a Job Corps graduate, Nadhi Muhammed, who is now working for Equity Residential as a maintenance technician and was recently awarded Equity’s 2008 Above & Beyond Award for demonstrating extraordinary service beyond expectations in his maintenance role.

How can our apartment company connect with a local Job Corps Center and participate in work-based learning or hire a Job Corps graduate?

Contact: José M. deOlivares Vice President, Strategic Partnerships National Job Corps Association 1199 N. Fairfax Street, Suite 400 Alexandria, VA 22314 (t) 703/548-8535, ext. 406 (f) 703/548-8536 jdeolivares@njcaweb.org

Contact: Laura Saint-Jean Communications Outreach Coordinator National Job Corps Association 1199 N. Fairfax Street, Suite 400 Alexandria, VA 22314 (t) 703/519-6430, ext. 424 (f) 703/548-8536 laurasj@njcaweb.org

Visit: www.njcaweb.org.