Job Corp changes lives

St. Paul-based academic and vocation training site celebrates 35^th anniversary in 2014

by Tesha M. Christensen

Over the last 35 years, the Hubert H. Humphrey Job Corp program based in St. Paul has changed a lot of lives.

A few short years ago, Abdi Warsame was unemployed, without health insurance and living on his friend’s couches. After completing the Job Corp medical office support program, he got a job and enrolled in the EMS Academy in St. Paul. Today he’s an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) with the St. Paul Fire Department.

Hawi Gelta immigrated to Minnesota from Ethiopia at age 21 and was reunited with her mother after a 10-year absence. But she wanted something better than working at a warehouse and caring for her siblings. She knew she could do more. So she went through the Job Corp nursing assistant program, and focused on improving her English language skills. Today she is working full-time as a nursing assistant and is planning to attend college to become a registered nurse.

Cate Smith Edlund started off as a neighborhood volunteer at the Job Corp program, and then served on the Neighborhood Advisory Council. Today she works full-time as the Job Corp Business and Community Liaison. She is constantly inspired by the students around her.

“They are just great young people,” said Smith Edlund. “Some of them have had very tough lives and they’ve managed to figure out where they need to go to get what they need to be successful.”

Smith Edlund isn’t the only one who comes and discovers they want to return. Congressman Keith Ellison made an obligatory stop once. “Next thing you know he is teaching math classes,” said Smith Edlund.

AT-RISK PERSON TO TAXPAYER

The Hubert H. Humphrey Job Corp location at 1480 N. Snelling Ave. in St Paul was originally the Bethel University Campus. The St. Paul site is one of 125 Job Corps located throughout the nation, and it serves all of Minnesota.

One of the goals of the program is that students be able to live independently and become good taxpayers, according to Smith Edlund. For every $1 spent, $1.81 goes back into the economy. “You’re taking that at-risk person and you’re turning them into a taxpayer,” Smith Edlund noted.

 “These are young adults with very few resources, but they have potential,” Smith Edlund added. “They want something more.”

Many of them have been working at minimum wage but find they can’t get ahead. When students enroll, an individual plan is developed. Some begin with academic classes while others head straight to vocational training. Meals, housing, uniforms, classes and basic health care are free. Students get a small stipend, but many also get evening or weekend jobs. Eighty-five percent of students live on campus.

Students ages 16-24 choose from six basic trade programs: Culinary arts, office administration, medical office support, facilities maintenance, painting and certified nursing assistant. There is one advanced program based at the St. Paul Job Corp location –– transportations communications union — that prepares students to work with railroads, airlines and barges.

 “What we do is a basic training that includes a whole body of work,” observed Smith Edlund. The average length of stay is 13 months, but students may stay as long as two years.

The campus has zero tolerance for drugs or alcohol. “They know to toe the line,” observed Smith Edlund. “It’s a very rigorous program.”

Students are up at 6 a.m. and sign in by 6:45 a.m. Dorm rooms are inspected daily and rotating floor jobs completed. They must be in uniform and ready for roll call at breakfast. Classes begin promptly at 8 a.m.

“If your going to have a job, you’re going to do these things and get to work,” explained Smith Edlund. “So we do these things.”

When the regular school day ends, many opt to continue their education, participating in English Language and written communication classes. Tutors and peer tutors are also available.

 “The program itself is successful,” observed Smith Edlund. “It’s tested. The system is refined in terms of what works and what doesn’t.”

“I can't stop telling people how Job Corps is a good place to become successful,” said Gelta. “I'm very happy that I came to Humphrey and so blessed that I have had this opportunity to make my dreams come true.”

“I can say it was life changing experience,” agreed Warsame.

COMMUNITY BENEFITS

Job Corp students can be found caring for seniors at Lyngblomsten care center, painting at AEON, working at the Como Conservatory, volunteering at Shop for the Cop, assisting at Regions Hospital, and picking up trash on nearby streets. They assist at the annual Rein in Sarcoma, Festival of Nations, and ComoFest. Last year, the 300 students logged in 7,000 volunteer hours.

 “This is a scholarship program and they know it. They want to give back,” stated Smith Edlund.

In 2013, the Job Corp received the Red Cross Student Group Award. In January 2014, they were named to the District 10 Neighborhood Honor Roll.

Learn more by attending the 35th anniversary party on Aug. 20 at 1:30 p.m. Or browse http://huberthhumphrey.jobcorps.gov.

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SIDEBARS

MEET HAWI GELTA

Hawi Gelta has overcome much in her 23 years. She was born in a small village in Ethiopia. When she was 13 years old, her mother moved to United States and she was left in charge of the house and her siblings. “I took my mom's place,” sad Gelta. “I planned meals, cooked, and cleaned.”

On Jan. 28, 2012, when she was 21, she immigrated to the United States with her brother and sister because she wanted a better life. They had not seen their mom for 10 years.  “We were so excited to be reunited,” recalled Gelta.

During her first year in United States, she lived in an apartment with her family. Her mother had to work a lot, so Gelta continued to take care of her family and did chores around the home. She got a job at a warehouse.

“I soon realized that I needed something better so I could support my family and myself,” said Gelta. “I stated looking for adult education programs, but I did find anything that fit. I did give up. I knew that, with training, I could do more. I could be more.”

Then a close friend of her told her about Job Corp: a place where she could get a free education and get certified in career. “At first I didn't believe it,” said Gelta. She and her friend went to an orientation and she made the decision to enroll the same day.

“I began my education, but I did not think this would work out for the best,” remarked Gelta. “Then I started taking communication classes and working to improve my English. I felt the language barriers begin to break down as I began to feel more comfortable communicating with people.”

Her next step was to enter a trade. “I've always been a caregiver and connect to the people that I'm helping so nursing assistance was the perfect choice,” said Gelta. “Each class I took taught me things I never thought I would have the opportunity to learn. I succeeded by paying attention, staying on task, and asking for help when I needed it.”

On Jan. 28, 2014, two years to the day that she moved to the United States, she was offered a full-time job at an assisted living facility.

“I'm proud that I've been hired for a position in my career field,” said Gelta. “But things don't stop here for me. I plan to go to college to become a registered nurse. Even though things was hard for my family and I in the beginning, I know now that we will able to live the American dream — we will work hard and never give up.”

She added, “Job Corps has blessed me with the chance to learn English, receive career training, and get help I needed to find a career that I love. I can now take of and help others. I'm so thankful for the support I have received from staff. I'm so proud to become one of the Job Corps students. I can't stop telling people how Job Corp is a good place to become successful. I'm very happy that I came to Humphrey and so blessed that I have had this opportunity to make my dreams come true.”

MEET ABDI WARSAME

Abdi Warsame was born in Somalia. Before enrolling was in Job Corp, he was living with friends. “You can call it couch-hopping through friends,” said Warsame. “I was 21 at that time. I was also unemployed and didn't have health insurance. I was a high school drop out and was running around places. ... I did not have a GED and could not get jobs because of it.

He saw a Job Dig ad for Job Corp, and was drawn to the idea of getting paid, housing and learning. He started Job Corp at end of 2011 and was enrolled for a little over a year. “I got a room that I shared with a roommate and small allowance money to get me thorough the week,” said Warsame. “I went through some basic test at first did not do well, but later on passed them and then I got my GED.” He began his trade skill classes in the Medical Office Support program, which focuses on the administrative and clerical work in the medical field. “The only thing left was to get a weekend job while I was working on my trade,” said Warsame. “I did couple of job searches with the help of Lisa Nabbefled and then I got job at the airport working at a ramp agent.”

“My first week there I did not like the rules and the regulations,” admitted Warsame. “My plan was to get my things done and get out as fast as I could. Eventually I started to like the place. It had free gym, plus I made a lot of new friends and close ones, too. I can say it was life-changing experience.”

He graduated and staff helped him make a moving transition out of Job Corp into his apartment. They also told him about the EMS Academy in St. Paul. He enrolled, completed it and became an EMT.

“I enrolled myself in college for the first time at Inver Hills Community College and now work as a EMT with St. Paul Fire Department,” said Warsame. “I also work as a volunteer CPR and First Aid Instructor for St. Paul Parks and Recreation Department. My major is in para medicine. My future goal is to finish my martial arts in karate, and to work as a fire medic in St. Paul.”