NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release: Oct. 22, 2019
Information Contact: Tina Polishchuk, (208) 442-4520
The Idaho Job Corps program will begin offering services for its first group of students today, Oct. 22, at the Centennial Job Corps facility, located in Nampa.
The program is funded by a three-year grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, awarded to the Idaho Department of Labor, to serve income-eligible youth age 16-24 by connecting them to training and workplace opportunities.
“This demonstration project between the Department of Labor and the state of Idaho is intended to meet the specific workforce needs of the state and take Job Corps into the future,” said U.S. Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training John Pallasch. “Welcoming students to their program marks an important moment in this new endeavor, and the Department of Labor is rooting for the success of each and every student who arrives to take control of his or her future.”
Students could be enrolled in the program 3-24 months, depending on their career trajectory, and the goal of the program is to place every student into a sustainable job by the time they graduate from the program.
Youth will also have the opportunity to complete their high school diploma and/or GED while enrolled in the program.
In addition, Idaho Job Corps will provide a variety of social services for students to remove barriers that get in the way of student success. These will include health care services, wellness training, counseling and life skills training, access to transportation, assistance with tuition and other services, free to the student.
“The Idaho Job Corps program connects Idaho students with Idaho jobs,” Gov. Brad Little said. “The program is one of our greatest and most effective resources for strengthening a talent pipeline that promises to improve student lives while creating a strong workforce to benefit our economy.”
The Nampa Centennial facility will serve 150 students each year (50 residential and 100 non-residential), with services for residential students beginning in 2020. The College of Western Idaho (CWI) is working with the Idaho Job Corps program to provide workforce development training and technical courses for Idaho’s high-growth occupations, including opportunities in certified nursing assistants, carpentry, business accounting, as well as apprenticeships in plumbing, HVAC and electrical fields, among others.
“We are excited about this venture,” said CWI Board of Trustee Chair, C.A. “Skip”Smyser. “Connecting students to the skills they need to be successful through education is our mission, and this will benefit employers and communities throughout our area.”
Informational orientations are available at the Centennial Job Corps Center, located at 3201 Ridgecrest Drive, Nampa at 2 p.m. Wednesdays. Attendees will learn about the program, how to apply as well as tour the center.
In years two and three of the program, Labor will partner with other community colleges to enroll 50 non-residential students each in Twin Falls, Idaho Falls and Coeur d’Alene.
To learn more about Idaho Job Corps, call (208) 442-4500 or visit the Labor website.
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