Got Interests, Skills or Talents?

Skills Training Opportunities

Here are several ideas about getting skills training— from programs you can pursue in your own community (e.g., apprenticeships, YouthBuild) to those requiring you to re-locate (e.g., JobCorps and Williamson Free Trade School).

You can “earn while you learn” in an apprenticeship program. Other programs (e.g., athletic trainer) require a hefty commitment to school for at least a while. Still others (e.g., automotive training) require less time in school but promise fairly high wages after program completion.

Many skills programs are offered in the NC community college system across the state. Check out the NC Community College website for more information.

If you’re willing to move away, a variety of training programs are available across the country. Surf the web to find them. Once you find one, locate the contact information and call to get more information. Talking to a person about the program will bring it to life.

Job Corps: Training You Can Use Moving Out on Your Own

Think Job Corps. If you’re age 16 through 24, even if you haven’t finished high school, Job Corps offers a no-cost education and vocational training program. You’ll have a chance to learn a trade, make some money, and take control of your life. Remember, the choice of a career is not forever; but acquiring useful skills means you can earn enough money to take other courses later on, or make the leap to a different type of job.

At Job Corps, you enroll to learn a trade and, if you need to, you can earn a high school diploma or GED and get help finding a good job. When you join the program, you will be paid a monthly allowance; the longer you stay with the program, the more your allowance will be. Job Corps supports you for up to 12 months after you graduate from the program by providing job counseling and connections with employers.

While learning a trade, Job Corps students live at one of the 122 Job Corps centers across the country. Four campuses are located in North Carolina:

• Kittrell Job Corps Center at Kittrell
• Lyndon B. Johnson Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center in Franklin
• Oconaluftee Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center in Cherokee
• Schenck Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center in Pisgah Forest

Many Training Choices, Plus Support

So what kinds of trades do you learn at Job Corps? In North Carolina, you can learn auto repair, bricklaying, building and apartment maintenance, clerical skills, carpentry, cement masonry, culinary arts, forestry and advanced pre-forestry, health occupations training, or landscaping. You can train to be a nurse’s aide, painter, plasterer, welder, or retail sales clerk. Many of the building skills are in sharp demand in North Carolina, and Job Corps also can provide entry through its nurse’s aide training into a more lucrative health career later on.

The Job Corps program, which is administered by the U.S. Department of Labor, provides more than just training. Students get lodging, three meals a day, basic medical and dental care, and travel expenses to and from the program location. Once enrolled, students also receive an allowance to purchase necessary items.

Programs are open to both males and females. Although you need not be a high school graduate, you must be a U.S. citizen or legal resident of the U.S., and you must pass a physical exam. Applications have no deadline; participants enter the Job Corps throughout the year.

Put some adventure in your life!Job Corps is a great way to complete an education, learn a trade, make lifetime friends, and graduate with a good job.

For information on Job Corps call 1-800-733-JOBS or visit the website: http://jobcorps.dol.gov/. See also www.salary.com or www.virtualcap.org.

also see jobcorps.dol.gov

YouthBuild: Building a Future Along with a House

If you haven’t finished high school, but want to acquire skills to support yourself, YouthBuild (at www.youthbuild.org) may be for you. YouthBuild is a nationwide public-private partnership that teaches carpentry skills to 16- to 24-year-olds.

North Carolina has five YouthBuild sites: in Murphy, Asheville, Elizabeth City, and Greensboro (see below). The YouthBuild program run by the University of North Carolina at Greensboro is an example of how the program works. It offers job training and education opportunities to unemployed young adults, residing in High Point, who learn to build and rehabilitate affordable housing in their own communities. The Center for Youth, Family and Community Partnerships administers the branch of the program at UNCG with a grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Program participants attend Guilford Technical Community College for GED classes on Mondays and Fridays and take carpentry lessons on other weekdays.

The High Point Housing Authority provides the land and supplies to build the houses; students do all the carpentry; and contractors handle the masonry, plumbing, wiring, ductwork, drywall, and painting.

YouthBuild Sites in North Carolina

Far West YouthBuild 4577 Martins Creek Rd Murphy, NC 28906 828-837-4430	Wilmington Housing Authority of Wilmington Wilmington, NC 28401 910-391-3217
Our Next Generation 19 Reynolds Place Asheville, NC 28804 828-252-9200	University of North Carolina at Greensboro Center for Youth, Families, & Communities P.O. Box 26170 Greensboro, NC 27402 336-217-9770
River City YouthBuild 501 East Main St Elizabeth City, NC 27909 252-331-2925

Skills Training, College Experience

In addition to learning valuable job skills, YouthBuild students get the experience of attending a community college and can earn 30-40 credit hours in the year-long program. Being part of the YouthBuild program means making progress on or obtaining a GED, going to work every weekday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., learning construction skills, and using those skills to build two houses. Participants are provided with books, tuition, some tools, transportation, and a wage.

Students learn to build a house, to read blueprints, and to do estimates. In addition, an innovative approach of this project combines construction skills training with entrepreneur and small business training. The goal of the program is to produce graduates capable of becoming economically self-sufficient by starting microenterprises and small businesses in the home construction trades.

“YouthBuild grants help young people get back on the right track by providing them both with the education they need and the training they can use for careers in homebuilding,” says HUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson. “It’s wonderful to know these young people discover the satisfaction of a job well done and local communities get more affordable housing in the process.” (See Brian Sullivan, Dec. 23, 2004 News Release at www.hud.gov/news.)

Williamson Free Trade School: A Unique Opportunity to Learn a Trade

The Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades in Media, PA, is the only free boarding school of its kind in the nation. In three years, students study trade and technical theory, work on realistic projects, and receive academic instruction. For over 100 years, Williamson has been using its unique approach to vocational education to prepare high-quality tradesmen and technicians. In the process, it has gained a national reputation for graduates who become expert craftsmen, successful businessmen, respected citizens, and recognized leaders in their fields. According to the director, Edward Bailey, young men coming out of this program can expect to get jobs starting from $45,000-$60,000 per year.

By completing the three-year program, students earn an Associate Degree in Construction Technology with an emphasis in carpentry or masonry; horticulture, landscaping, and turf management; or machine tool, power plant, or structural coatings technology. Craftsman Diplomas are awarded in carpentry, machine trades, masonry, painting and wallcovering, and power plant operations.

According to its website (www.williamson.edu), Williamson’s training goes far beyond the classroom. Students live in a carefully structured environment that includes daily chapel, a dress code, work details, and clearly defined rules and responsibilities. The educational program emphasizes the importance of moral values, industry, and quality workmanship. The goal is to foster in students attitudes that will lead to success in life and on the job, including self-discipline, integrity, and reliability.

Full Scholarships for All

Although this may sound like a very expensive prep-school program, Williamson is an independent, post-secondary, vocational-technical school that provides all students with full scholarships for tuition, room, board, and textbooks. Students are able-bodied single males born in the U.S., whose families are not able to provide resources for further education. About 95 young men are accepted each year. Applicants must not have turned 20 by June 1 prior to their first semester. They must have a high school diploma or equivalent, with an average of “C” or higher, must have taken math, science, and English during high school. Applicants must be able to provide two character reference letters from non-family members (e.g., pastor, guidance counselor, teacher, scout master, employer). Preference is given to those born in Pennsylvania or New Jersey, although several out-of-state students are accepted in the program each year. Candidates must be interviewed and take a standardized test. The school does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, or ethnic background.

For Admissions Inquires
email: ebailey@williamson.edu
Edward Bailey, Director
106 S. New Middletown Rd.
Media, PA 19063.
Phone 610-566-1776

In exchange for their education, students must follow the school’s rules and help with the food service and maintenance of buildings and grounds. They pay only entrance costs for personal items, annual fees for
certain equipment and books that they retain for personal use, and annual fees for student services, placement, yearbook, and extra-curricular activities.

All students live in an on-campus dormitory supervised by an adult dormitory manager located on a 220-acre campus in Delaware County, PA, 14 miles southwest of Philadelphia. The sports center has basketball courts, weight room, and indoor running track; and students participate in a variety of varsity and intramural athletics, including cross country, football, soccer, basketball, wrestling, lacrosse, and baseball. Intramural sports vary from year-to-year according to demand.

Williamson is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology and approved by the Bureau of Postsecondary Services of the Pennsylvania Department of Education to confer the Associate in Specialized Technology Degree. Application for admission may begin as early as the first semester of the student’s senior year of high school but should be completed no later than March 15 prior to the fall semester.

How Much Do You Know About Yourself?

Do you like to help other people? Would you like to serve your community? Want a flexible work schedule? Like outdoor work? Want as much leisure time as possible? Are interpersonal relations what you thrive on? Or do you like autonomy and working alone? Is prestige, security, or a high salary most important to you?

Several free tools are on-line or at most job counselors’ offices that can help you learn about yourself and what kind of job you might enjoy. These “self-assessment tools” can be an important step in your journey of self-discovery and thinking about what you want to do.

Basically, self-assessment tools help you understand your values, interests, personality, or skills. Some tests help you figure out your likes and dislikes. The idea behind these tools is that people who share similar interests also enjoy the same type of work. Examples of interests are reading, running, playing basketball, and music.

Other tests help you understand your personality. A personality inventory looks at your individual traits: what drives you, what strong needs you have, and your attitudes. The most frequently used personality inventory is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI).

Also, other tools assess your learning style. Several are listed at www.ulc.arizona.edu/assessments.htm.

For a great selection of fun tools, go to www.queendom.com. Another source of free assessment tools is the NCCareers website: www.nccareers.com/

Useful Guides to Self-Discovery
Here are some great books you might want to check out. Try the library or go to www.amazon.com:

• The Career Guide for Creative and Unconventional People, by Carol Eikleberry
• Discover What You're Best at: The National Career Aptitude System and Career Directory, by Linda Gale
• The Best Work of Your Life, by Patricia V. Alea and Patty Mullins
• Career Intelligence: The 12 New Rules for Work and Life Success, by Barbara Moses
• What Color Is Your Parachute? 2000, by Richard Nelson Bolles and Dick Bolles
• I Could Do Anything If I Only Knew What It Was: How to Discover What You Really Want and How to Get It, by Barbara Sher and Barbara Smith