Job Corps

Lilithium

Hey folks. So, I'm looking into several options. I made an earlier thread about my family being abusive, and having no way out of their home unless into a homeless shelter. Job Corps apparently will provide me with food, shelter, and job training(I already have my high school diploma). So, I'm very interested in going into that program.

I'm wondering if any forum members here have gone through with Job Corps, what it was like, and if it was worth it.

Drake

I don't have any personal experience, and this anecdote is an old one, but I had a friend who tried the Job Corp. The stories sounded like something out of a penitentiary. Racial tension, fights, etc. Like I said though, this is from someone else's decades old experience. Maybe he was exaggerating, or perhaps the Job Corp has been turned around.

VisionOfClarity

They typically do not give you shelter, most students live at home and commute to their assignment.

Lilithium

I dunno, it says on the Job Corps website that they provide housing on-site for most of the people training with them, where few commute to the center.

PatLasch

I went, it was a good experience. Like anything else, you get out of it what you put into it. There are people there that you probably don't want to deal with. It is a last resort for many of the people who go there. But there are also people like you. I was in a bad situation, finding a job was difficult and I found Job Corps. Met some good people while I was there and learned a lot about myself. Housing is provided, they provide you a very small amount of spending money, they take care of some medical and dental needs. Food is provided. And they're willing to teach you how to do a job. You should go for it. You can leave at any time. Worst case scenario? Think of it as a camping trip.

PirateJon

I had a friend who tried the Job Corp. The stories sounded like something out of a penitentiary.

Seconded. Some of youthful offenders get routed there instead of prison. My friend made it sound more like his time in juvie then the state pen, but apparently it depends on the location of the facility and the people running it. He learned some forestry skills with tree topping and running landscape equipment, but he left as soon as he could.

This was some time ago. 2001-ish.

They typically do not give you shelter, most students live at home and commute to their assignment.

My friend lived at the site in Kentucky for some months. Guess it depends.

Metalbourne

I went to the San Jose Job Corps back in '97-'98, so I can shed some light on the experience:

You'll be living in a room with three other students. You'll go to classes either on or off the job corps campus on weekdays. You'll also be tasked with keeping your room clean as well as helping to keep the common areas clean. Food is provided for free in the cafeteria, which is open only during meal times. Job corps will also offer transitional assistance, such as help getting a job and housing once you are ready to leave the dorms. Also, you will get paid a small amount of money every other week. (for me it was 30 bucks or so)

And I won't even fucking kid with you: If you do not lock your shit in your locker and keep your room locked, your shit will get stolen. No fucking questions asked. If you need to do laundry, you will sit your ass on top of the washer until it buzzes. People will steal your motherfucking underwear. I am not even kidding.

Job corps is full of tweakers. I don't know what it is that attracts them, but they're goddamn everywhere. This, naturally, leads back to the first problem.

Gang member are the next biggest problem. If you have a race, there's a gang that doesn't like your race, so watch your back.

But, on the good side, I met two of my best friends there. I learned a job skill (electronics testing) and was able to get a job while I was still living in the dorms. It got me out of my shitty town, my shitty house, and away from my shitty friends.

So, really, what you get out of Job Corps is up to you. I've seen people come in, sell as much meth as they could, and then disappear, but I've also seen people learn some valuable skills and are making almost six figures today.

Lilithium

I'm looking to get out of my family's house. They're poisonous to everyone around them. It all turns to shit, so, I'm really hoping Job Corps can help me out with that. I'm willing to put as much work as needed into my job training.

Metalbourne

Then give it a shot, I say. It's not going to be easy, but it is worth doing.