Forum Brief

Best Practices Serving Job Corps: The National "Alpha Award" Winners

A Forum — June 17, 1998

Job Corps is the only national residential education and training program for at-risk young people. Job Corps Centers provide education and vocational training in addition to comprehensive services that include GED preparation, social skills training, basic medical and dental care, and job placement to young adults ages 16 to 24 who are living at or below the poverty level. Currently, there are 113 Job Corps Centers nationwide serving 68,000 students a year.

The Alpha Awards were created three years ago by the National Job Corps Coalition (NJCC) to recognize individuals, communities and businesses that provide outstanding support to Job Corps Centers and students. Community organization winners have made significant contributions in the areas of enhancing Job Corps' positive visibility and linking with Job Corps to benefit student placement, training, education, community projects and other activities. Business winners have contributed to Job Corps in job placement, education, training, promotional services, mentoring and other areas. Individual winners are private citizens who have shown outstanding leadership on behalf of Job Corps at the center/local, state or national level. The winners are selected by a panel of judges representing the government, provate and non-profit sectors. This year's judges were Aaron Grau, Professional Staff Member, Senate Committee on Labor and Human Relations, Subcommittee on Employment and Training, Robert Knight, President, National Association of Private Industry Councils (NAPIC), and Mark Westin, Director of Strategic Initiatives, Apple Computer.

Each year, Alpha Award winners are invited to share their experiences with other Job Corps members and interested individuals. "Sharing best practices is the way to improve what we do," states Mary Silva, Director, Office of Job Corps, U.S. Department of Labor. The 1998 Business Category award winners emphasize the mutual gains in the relationships between businesses and Job Corps. Businesses bring expertise and financial support to Job Corps while receiving from Job Corps a pool of trained employees and excellent opportunities for public awareness. Through their connection with Job Corps, businesses obtain a positive exposure to the media, local politicians and communities. Winners indicate that it is cost effective for businesses to hire Job Corps graduates, who are well trained and have already proven their work ethic.

Pepsi Cola was nominated for its active technical and financial support of the St. Louis Job Corps Center's activities. Pepsi helped the center to establish a student-run store and supports its operation. The company also promotes seminars on business management, marketing and community leadership for the students. Pepsi employees volunteer as mentors and role models. The company has continuously hired Job Corps graduates.
Amtrak and Norfolk Southern Railway were nominated for their close relationship with Job Corps since 1983. The Transportation Communications International Union (TCU) refers Job Corps students for placement in Amtrak/Norfolk Southern's offices across the nation. Amtrak/Norfolk Southern maintains a close relationship with TCU, providing students with feedback and helping them to understand and improve their job-related skills. Amtrak/Norfolk Southern employees have become instructors and mentors for the students. The company has traditionally hired Job Corps graduates for career positions.
Quaker State Q Lube was nominated for providing Job Corps students with the "hands on" experience of a lubrication station. To develop the program, the company helped the Gary Jobs Corps Center to remodel and supply a trade shop into a replica of a Q Lube fast-lubrication station for cutomized training. Q Lube employees mentor and train students in all aspects of the job in a six-week training program that results in the certification of participants as Automotive Lubrication Technicians. Job Corps graduates are then hired by the 700 Q Lube centers across the nation.

The 1998 Community Category award winners highlight the role of supportive and enthusiastic community leaders in maintaining and expanding partnerships between Job Corps and community organizations. Alpha winners emphasized the importance of good communication among all partners, the need for continuous linkages and the benefits of a dynamic Executive Committee. Job Corps relies on spreading its successes to maintain a positive public profile to support renewed annual funding.

The City of Flint and Genesee County were nominated for spearheading the establishment of the new Flint/Genesee Job Corps Center and its Community Relations Council. Under the leadership of Flint's Mayor Woodrow Stanley and the Genesee County Treasurer Dan Kildee, a community coalition of more than 30 organizations and city officials was awarded a new Job Corps Center in 1994. Recently, the city and the county social services agencies raised more than $1.3 million to finance and operate a Child Development Center, which complements the center's Single Parent Residence Hall. The coalition maintains an active involvement in the Center's programs and activities.
The Jacob's Creek Job Corps Center Community Relations Council was nominated for its dedication to promote the work of the Jacob's Creek Job Corps Center and educate state and national leaders and provide school-to-work opportunities for Job Corps students. Council members volunteer as tutors, chaperones, recreational supervisors, drivers and personal mentors for Job Corps students. They also sponsor community projects and students' awards, and recently sponsored the Center's 30th anniversary celebration.
The Veterans Affairs (VA) Pittsburgh Healthcare System was nominated for its longstanding relationship with the Pittsburgh Jobs Corps Center. The VA Medical Center allows Job Corps students to use its recreational facilities, and serves as the meeting place for the Center's Community Relations Council. Students are also placed in school-to-work experiences in different sectors of the Medical Center, such as rehabilitation therapy, food services, clerical services and nursing. VA employees volunteer as mentors for the students and, in the past year, have helped students to beautify the Job Corps Center. VA participation in Job Corps' activities has now spread to all three VA sites in the Pittsburgh area. To facilitate the students' transportation to the different sites, VA offers a shuttle bus service.

1998 Alpha Award Representatives

Business Category

Marc Shumpert, Accounts Development Representative, The Pepsi Cola Company, St. Louis, Missouri (nominated by the St. Louis Job Corps Center)
Ordister "Dis" Alexander, Senior Human Resources Director, Amtrak, Washington, D.C. (nominated by the Transportation-Communications International Union)
Mike Harris, National Training Director, Quaker State Q Lube of Salt Lake City, UT (nominated by TEF)

Community Category

Lee Gonzales, City of Flint and Genesee County, Michigan (the Flint/Genesee Job Corps Center nominated the coalition that was formed under the leadership of Flint's Mayor Woodrow Stanley and the Genesee County Treasurer Dan Kildee)
Ezra McConnell, President, Jacob's Creek Job Corps Center Community Relations Council, Bristol, Tennessee (nominated by the Jacob's Creek Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center)
Bob Lee, Outreach Coordinator, Veterans Affairs Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (nominated by the Pittsburgh Job Corps Center)

Individual Category

Fran Ulmer, Lieutenant Governor, Juneau, AK and Mike Andrews, Executive Director, Alaska Human Resource Investment Council, Anchorage, AK (nominated by the Alaska Job Corps Center)
Maria Evans, Vice President for In-Store Banking, Union Bank of California, Riverside, CA (nominated by Inland Empire Job Corps Center)
Thomas Thoms, General Manager "The Business Advisor", Cox Custom Publisher, Centerville, OH (nominated by Dayton Jobs Corps Center)