Each week, staff at Wind River Job Corps nominates a student who has shown excellent behavior towards their academics and peers. To view all nominated students, click here.
Swinging hammers is real-life work for Job Corps student
In a nutshell, students come to Wind River Job Corps to learn how to make money. Maybe that’s a little simplistic. They also come to Job Corps to gain the skills that will help them build a life, possibly a family, definitely a future.
Much of their training will take place in a classroom and shop. In the case of carpentry students, they’ll learn how to build joists, scaffolding, install roofs and windows, and a whole lot more. Their training gets “real” when they are then able to work in real-life jobs in our community, while still training with the guidance of their instructors. This part of their training is called Work-Based Learning.
For Joevonny Griffin, a graduate of Shoshoni High School and current Wind River student, that training is now advancing at Rico Construction, in his own hometown. Each day that Joevonny works at Rico, he moves forward in his carpentry training, while also utilizing the employability skills he is taught at Job Corps. He learns first-hand what it’s like to work in construction, and how to apply the training he receives back on campus.
This week, Wind River Job Corps would like to recognize Joevonny as our Student of the Week. We’d also like to recognize Rico Construction as a great community partner.
“This student is very bright, and has a great sense of humor. We want to recognize him for his hard work and dedication to his quest to become a well-trained carpenter,” says center director, Dr. Kristen Benson.
Joevonny has already obtained his Pre-Apprenticeship certification from the United Brotherhood of Carpentry and will continue to work for Rico Construction until he is ready to move into an apprenticeship program.
Congratulations Joevonny Griffin.
WIND RIVER JOB CORPS serves up to 300 campus-based and non-residential students generally originating from the Rocky Mountain states. The center provides over 16 career tracks offered through eight vocational programs, including pre-apprenticeship opportunities. These programs have been determined and developed based on the current high-performing job market trends in the region. Included in vocational training are employability skills and community engagement. Wind River Job Corps is the newest of the 124 Job Corps centers located throughout the United States, opening in 2015. It is operated by the Alternate Perspectives, Inc. for the Department of Labor and is located at 4200 Airport Rd in Riverton, Wyoming.
JOB CORPS is a program administered by the United States Department of Labor. The program helps income-eligible young people ages 16 through 24 complete their high school education, trains them for meaningful careers, and assists them with obtaining employment. Job Corps has trained and educated over two million individuals since 1964. It is the largest nationwide residential career training program in the country and has been operating for more than 50 years.
At Job Corps, students have access to room and board while they learn skills in specific training areas for up to three years. In addition to helping students complete their education, obtain career technical skills and gain employment, Job Corps also provides transitional support services, such as help finding employment, housing, child care, and transportation. Job Corps graduates either enter the workforce or an apprenticeship, go on to higher education, or join the military.
API Alternate Perspectives Incorporated (API) is a certified small, woman-owned company with corporate headquarters just outside our nation’s capital. API’s mission is to help individuals and organizations achieve their goals and realize their dreams by providing them with new ways of thinking to create new ways of doing. API staff have extensive Job Corps experience in almost every aspect of the Job Corps program. The API Operating model begins with building a “positive normative culture” at each center defined by four norms: respect self, respect others, respect community, and strive for excellence. Students and staff at the Wind River Job Corps Center are expected to adopt and embrace these norms to learn, grown, and strive for continuous improvement. In addition to Wind River Job Corps, API operates the Westover Job Corps Center, and Shriver Job Corps Center, both in Massachusetts.