The Job Corps is the nation’s largest residential training program, attracting people from ages 16 to 24.
The program enables individuals to learn a career, earn a high school diploma or GED, and find and keep a good job. It is 100 percent federally-funded, and covers the training cost per student.
According to Guam Department of Labor Director Leah Beth Naholowaa, young adults interested in the training program who meet the U.S. DOL’s low income guidelines and are legal residents of the U.S. can apply through a Job Corps admissions counselor.
Applicants from the Pacific region are assisted at the Guam Employment Service over at the GDOL office in Hagåtña. Although Guam does operate the Job Corp program on-island, it acts as a satellite for the Hawaii Job Corps.
On Guam, recruitment is provided by the Guam Employment Service Division, said Naholowaa. The processing of applications and other required forms takes place in this division. If the individual meets the requirements, their names are forwarded to the office in Hawaii for consideration.
Thereafter, the individual may travel to Hawaii to attend their desired training program.
Naholowaa noted that from early 2000 to the latter part of 2008, only a few applicants were accepted into the training program. However, in the early part of 2010, the Jobs Corps program accepted a sudden increase of three to 16 trainees, including those from other parts of the Pacific region.
Since Naholowaa took helm of the local labor department, she has been pushing to expose the program to young adults on-island in order to increase the number of trainees. Not many know of this great opportunity, she said.
To date, there are 14 individuals from Guam who have been accepted into the program and are currently off-island to receive their education and training. According to Naholowaa, 13 are in Hawaii, while one is in Nevada.
A success story is that of a recent graduate, Melody Cayabyab Santos. Naholowaa announced that Santos completed her training in three months and is the first graduate of Guam from the Hawaii Job Corps. Santos completed Finance and Business Office Administration and is now employed at Next Generation Integrators LLC, Guam.
For more information about the Job Corps program or to apply, contact Program Employment Administrator Catalina Cruz at 671-475-7000.
