The Atterbury Job Corps plays an important workforce role, even though the program isn’t well known to many people.
It operates near Camp Atterbury and close to Edinburgh, is administered by the U.S. Department of Labor and is one of the six original job centers that began the national program in 1964.
Atterbury Job Corps provides free education and training. Its purpose is to help older teens and young adults from low-income families earn high school diplomas and learn job skills so they can successfully find employment and rewarding careers. Job Corps works with employers to create internships, job opportunities and remain current on what skills employers want employees to possess.
Students can obtain a high school diploma or high school equivalency while learning trade skills in 14 career areas — such as welding, carpentry, cement masonry, electrical and certified nursing assistant — that all provide nationally recognized certifications.
Additionally, Job Corps students receive a variety of benefits: three meals daily, bi-weekly pay, health and wellness benefits, transportation assistance, and on-site housing if they wish to utilize it. The program even offers a driver’s education course for program participants who wish to earn their driver’s license.
Job Corps also recently altered its rules so students don’t have to reside on site, and can go home at the end of the day. That’s a smart decision because it opens up the program to create a larger pool of potential students that could benefit.
The Columbus area is fortunate to have such an education and workforce training program that can help individuals secure better futures.
Young adults who need to increase their education and skills in order to increase their job prospects and become more self sufficient should consider Atterbury Job Corps as an option.
The long-term benefits the free program offers provides participants the opportunity for rewarding futures. That’s priceless.
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