Job Corps: Frequently Asked Questions

What is Job Corps?
Job Corps is an education and career training program that each year helps approximately 60,000 students between the ages of 16 and 24 gain the experience they need to get a better job and take control of their lives. It is a residential program, which means that most students live at the Job Corps center.

The program offers you the opportunity to train in a career area and finish your high school diploma or earn a GED. Job Corps will also help you get a job after you graduate. Your career transition specialist will stay in touch for up to 18 months after you graduate.

How much does it cost?
Job Corps is a federally funded program. Services are at no costs for eligible students. When you join the program, you will receive a monthly allowance. The longer you stay with the program, the greater your allowance will be.

How do I get there?
If you do not have transportation to the center you have chosen, don't worry. Job Corps will provide it for you. Your admissions counselor will make your travel arrangements.

Where will I live?
Each Job Corps center is unique, but all of them in the Atlanta Region offer a campus like setting with dormitories. The dorms are divided into male and female sections. Dorm rooms accommodate two to eight students, depending on the center. Some centers also serve nonresidential students who take classes at Job Corps but live at home. Bed linens, bath towels and lockers are provided.

Why do I have to live at the Job Corps center?
The Job Corps program is designed to teach you about work and life and to help you learn to live independently. By living with others you will learn to get along with people from diverse backgrounds. These life skills will be essential to you when you enter the workforce. There are nonresidential slots available, usually for older students who live nearby or students who have special needs.

Can I leave at night or on the weekends?
For students who live on center, a pass is required to leave. Passes may be distributed to students for weekend visits with family, overnight trips off center, holidays and emergency situations.

Can I visit home?
Yes. Job Corps will provide your transportation to and from home during the winter and summer breaks. Any other trips home must be arranged and paid for by the student. Family members may also schedule a time to visit the Job Corps center.

What should I bring?
Bring personal care products such as shampoo, a hairbrush and comb, toothbrush and toothpaste, shaving cream and razors, deodorant, lotion, makeup, hair dryer, curling iron, electric rollers, electric shaver, etc. Also bring personal items such as an alarm clock, photos, posters and books. Centers will provide work uniforms specific to your training. Bring everyday clothes to wear during free time.

Is there anything I can't bring?
Residential students should not bring cars, bikes, pagers, cell phones, clothing with offensive wording, televisions, expensive clothing, large amounts of jewelry, weapons, or any item that promotes drugs, alcohol or violence.

What else does the Job Corps center provide?
Each Job Corps center is equipped with free laundry facilities and a cafeteria that serves breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. In addition, basic medical and dental care is provided for all students. Each center has a campus store where toiletries, snacks and other items are available for purchase. Shopping trips to area malls are often scheduled. Many career training areas require certain clothing, which is provided by the center.

What is there to do at night or on weekends?
Most centers have gyms, recreation halls, lounge areas and game rooms. There are TV rooms in each dorm building. On weekends, centers often organize trips to nearby attractions, such as shopping malls, sporting events and movie theaters.

How long do I stay at Job Corps?
You may be in a rush, but it takes about a year to gain the knowledge and skills needed to start a career and a new life. Our most successful students stay in the program between one and two years.

What happens when I get to Job Corps?
When you first arrive at your Job Corps center, you will work with teachers and staff to develop your own personalized career development plan (PCDP) and choose an area in which you will train. Your plan will help you to focus on your educational and training goals and will serve as your guide to what you will accomplish while you are in Job Corps. You will also work with Job Corps staff on your resumé and your job interview and job search skills - all in the first few weeks in the program.

Do I get paid while I am at Job Corps?
If you perform well in training and succeed in class, you will be eligible for cash bonuses at Job Corps. The longer you stay, the more opportunities you'll have to earn a bonus. Job Corps can also help you get started once you graduate. In addition to helping you find a good job, you may receive a readjustment allowance. Your admissions counselor will have more information.

Will Job Corps help me after I graduate?
Yes. For up to 18 months after graduation, your Job Corps career transition specialist will stay in touch with you to make sure that things are going well. If you have a problem at your new job, or you need help finding housing, transportation or other services, you can call your Job Corps career transition specialist for assistance. NOTE: It is very important that you keep in contact with your career transition specialist after graduation and that he or she knows how to reach you. Make sure your career transition specialist has your current phone number, e-mail and mailing address. Job Corps career transition specialists can help you after you graduate - but only if they can find you.

Will I feel safe on center?
Job Corps is committed to your safety on center. Each center observes a Zero Tolerance Policy for drugs and violence. Possession of drugs and acts of violence are grounds for immediate expulsion from the program. Theft and sexual misconduct are also grounds for dismissal. All students are tested for drugs upon entering the program.

Can I leave the program if I don't like it?
Yes. No one will keep you in Job Corps against your will. Enrolling in Job Corps is a commitment that only you can make, and all we ask is that you try your best to succeed. Do that, and we'll show you the career path to a better future.

Does Job Corps really work?
According to the most recent placement statistics, approximately 88 percent of Job Corps graduates find work, enroll in higher education programs, or enlist in the military.