PAUL SIMON CHICAGO JOB CORPS STRENGTHENS YOUTH

Paul Simon Chicago Job Corps Center trains more than 300 students in career fields like carpentry, bricking, computer technician, and material handling and distribution. Photo Credit: Paul Simon Chicago Job Corps Center
Paul Simon Chicago Job Corps Center trains more than 300 students in career fields like carpentry, bricking, computer technician, and material handling and distribution. Photo Credit: Paul Simon Chicago Job Corps Center

PAUL SIMON CHICAGO JOB CORPS STRENGTHENS YOUTH

By Christopher Shuttlesworth

Paul Simon Chicago Job Corps Center is celebrating 52 years of educating;

training and helping youth obtain career field jobs in carpentry, bricking, computer

technician and material handling and distribution. The nationwide 127 job core

center is administered by the United States Department of Labor and is open year round to youth ages 16-24.

“This is a self-pace base learning program where you can earn a high school diploma or a GED in the career technical training programs,” said Beth C. Allen, who is a Business & Community Liaison for Paul Simon Chicago Job Corps Center. “So, when students complete the program we offer job placement assistance for college and military bound students.”

Allen explained that each student who enters into the program is tested for

numeracy and literacy even if they are high school or college educated.

“We want to test the students’ skills to see what their reading and math levels are,” she said. “If they come in with a high school diploma and test at a 9.0 and higher, then they can go into their selected trade.”

Allen said during the program, students participate in nonviolence discussions about bullying and domestic violence.

Also, the Job Corps Center collaborates with the City of Colleges to serve more than 300 students who are experiencing financial needs.

The city colleges involved with the center include Richard J. Daley College, Kennedy- King College, Malcolm X College, Olive- Harvey College, Harry S Truman College, Harold Washington College, and Wilbur Wright College.

“If a student graduates high school and they want to decide their next step and don’t have financial money to attend college, they can choose the job core program,” Allen said. “Our center has a partnership with the City of Chicago Colleges so the students can graduate from the job core program, stay here

on campus and reap the benefits of a job-core student.”

The Paul Simon Chicago Job Corps Center currently has more than 100

immediate openings for its program. To apply for the program, you can visit https:// paulsimonchicago.jobcorps.gov/.

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