The Gary Job Corps training program involves teaching the students various trades, but more importantly, it involves community partnerships that allow for hand-on training experience. Gary Job Corps recently hosted a community luncheon on its campus to update everyone on what is going on at the campus and to let the community know that they are looking for onthe- job training opportunities for the students.
Hope Powell, GJC Student Government Association Coordinator, said she works with all of the lead students on center, including K’Leigh Landree-Carter, GJC Student Government Association president — who Powell said is considered the highest status student with the GJC Arms Center — and Clarence Graham, GJC SGA vice president — who recently finished his training program.
“We have a council just like any other community. So they are the council, [and] they sit on that board. I oversee that board,” Powell said. “We make sure that we are… visible in the community, we've done things with a Southside Community Center. We've done things with the Youth Council in town as well, the Women's Center, and the list just goes on. We want to be able to be partners with anybody that wants to partner with us because we want to make sure that our students are demonstrating appropriate employability and social skills at all times.”
Powell said GJC students often job shadow in order to see what their field of choice is like in the real world.
“[Then] they're able to see themselves working in those areas too,” Powell said. So where I come in is to make sure that the student is demonstrating appropriate leadership, ability and leadership skills once they get those particular roles in the community after they complete here.”
Powell added that the students are looking for volunteer opportunities in order to get that experience that they need.
“I'm about 60 strong on my team,” Powell said. “They are top notch on center because there's a criteria to get into our program [SGA].”
Eugene Edopka, GJC safety and security manager, echoed the importance of hands-on training for GJC students.
“It's the experience that gives them that ability to go out there in the community, and work for a living,” Edopka said. “We can teach them as much as we can. We can educate them to give them a high school [degree]. We can give them everything they want, but we prefer that on-the-job training. Because that way when they make a mistake, we are there ready to correct them. So that after a while, they know exactly what to do and [how to] be successful out in the community.”
Betty Oliva, GJC Career and Technical Training manager, oversees all of the CTT departments.
“I have 19 trades in total on center,” Oliva said. “Corrections trade is the only program [of its kind] out of the 120 job corps that exist in the nation. So we are the only extension of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice pre-service academy. So that is really nice and exciting and unique. Currently, we're trying to replace our firearms. We're working with San Marcos PD to purchase a container to put on their land, so we can store our firearms.”
Oliva was hoping to create more on-the-job opportunities for the students as well.
“It's great to get our students out there hands on,” Oliva said. “They learn a lot. They leave here very prepared, especially our security and correction students. So I'm excited. Let's talk, work out some deals and get some more partnerships.”
Susanne Ritter, GJC BEL/Apprenticeship coordinator, said that volunteer opportunities are important but on-the-job training is the bread and butter of the job corps training program.
“Because we all know once upon a time we started job searching, and they would ask you, ‘What experience do you have?’ So zero experience is hard to open that door. Right? So we are relying and asking and reaching out to say, ‘Hey, can you help us open those doors for students,’” Ritter said. “So maybe an office administration [position] — answering the phones. Just be open, think outside of the box on how you can help us, so we can open those doors. And let's be there for our students.”
Learn more about Gary Job Corps at gary.jobcorps. gov.
Pictured in the photo on page 3 are, in no particular order, Andy Hentschke, from Hats off for Veterans, Mike Varela, from the Hays County Constable Pct. 1 office, Eric Villalpando, from the Hays County Constable Pct. 1 office, Daniel Law, from the Hays County Constable Pct. 1 office, Ed Theriot, Caldwell County Commissioner Pct. 3, Carl Andrson, from a night in old Bethlehem, Katherine Glaze, Martindale Mayor, Tommy Ward, Martindale Police Officer, Alfonso Sifuentes, from Republic Services, Betty Oliva, GJC CTT manager, Eugene Edopka, GJC Safety and Security manager, Matthew Mendoza, San Marcos City Council Member, Jessica Mejia, from Sirena and friends, Susanne Ritter, GJC Apprenticeship Coordinator, Tiffany Harris, from city of San Marcos, Michael Tessoro, Bethlehem, K’Leigh Landree-Carter, GJC SGA president, Clarence Graham, GJC SGA vice president, Diana Tagle Guerrero, GJC, Hope Powell, GJC SGA Coordinator, Randolph Goodman, GJC Community Relations Coordinator and Elva Zdeb, Sights and Sounds.
