Job Corps was created in 1964 by President Lyndon Johnson as part of Johnson's War on Poverty. The first Job Corp Center was build by Sargent Shriver, a member of the Kennedy family. Today, there are 125 Job Corps Centers in the U.S. that offer free job training to over 60,000 low income young people each year. Most, but not all Job Corps Centers, provide room and board during job training that takes 8 to 24 months to complete.

This lesson enlightens students about the Job Corps: What job training is offered? What is life like at a Job Corps Center? How does a young person qualify to join the Job Corps? What is the average Job Corps student like? Does Job Corps include academic training? How do I apply for Job Corps training?

Job Corps website:  https://www.jobcorps.gov

Click the link to download PDF: Job Corps Parents Guide          

Job Corps created Personal Success Skills Standards with Competencies that students must master before graduation from Job Corps. Personal Success Skills Standards are in addition to the Work Task Skills needed for jobs such as carpenter (cutting wood) and plumber (connecting pipes). Personal Success Skills Standards are skills students need for every job: Workplace Relationships, Interpersonal Skils, Growth & Development, Career Planning, and Communicaton. 

This lesson is an adapted summary of Job Corps Success Skills Standards with several critical thinking questions for your students.     

Qualities that employers value in workers are also valuable to students' school and work world lives. 

The 20 qualities that equal success in school, work, and personal lives are: 

Adaptable, Dependable, Empathetic, Flexible, Friendly, Healthy, Honest, Self Starter, Manager, Motivated, Negotiator, Positive , Problem Solver, Safe, Self Aware, Teamworker, Tech Skilled, Trusworthy, Well Groomed, and Communicator.

This is a discussion lesson or group brainstorming lesson where students write down examples in boxes of how each quality helps: 1) At work for raise. 2) For school grades. 3) With friends and family in personal lfe.

Workability and students' entry-level jobs are often in the restaurant industry. Help your students learn the different job titles of a restaurant crew: 

Food Prep Worker, Dishwasher, Counter Attendant, Waiter, Waitresses, Server, Cashier, Dining Room Attendant, Busser, Host, Hostess, Maitre D', Cook, Head Chef, Chef de Cuisine, and Sous Chef.

Also, qualities needed by restaurant crew workers are listed: communication skills, accuracy skills, physical strength, teamwork skills. Cooks and chefs also need creativity skills and leadership skills.

To follow the Restaurant Crew lesson, there is a Food Service Manager lesson to inspire students that restaurant jobs lead to high paying and interesting careers.

Give your students a lesson to do during Thanksgiving break that will provide students with an excuse to ask family members and adult friends about jobs.

In "Finding Careers" category, go to Investigating Jobs: Thanksgiving Vacation Interviews.

Students are required to interview 2 relatives or adult friends who are over 21 years of age and have interesting jobs. You may also allow the extra credit. 

Interesting outcomes from these students interviews may even include job offers (summer vacation, after graduation) from family members who have businesses (such as cabinet shop) because of the student's interest in the career. In addition, you will enjoy reading the students' completed interviews of their parents, relatives, and adult friends.