[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 135 (Wednesday, September 23, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2346]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         NATIONAL JOB CORPS DAY

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                               speech of

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON-LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 22, 2009

  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. 
Con. Res. 163, which expresses support for the designation of September 
23, 2009 as National Job Corps Day. The Job Corps is an essential 
program that provides vocational training for thousands of young 
Americans each year, helping to integrate them into the U.S. workforce.
  The Job Corps was created under the Department of Labor in 1964 as a 
part of President Lyndon B. Johnson's War on Poverty. The Job Corps was 
modeled after the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), which was 
established during the Great Depression in an effort to house, train, 
and find employment for young people. Like the CCC before it, Job Corps 
seeks not only to provide vocational training but also to teach life 
skills and build character in participants. The Job Corps helps to 
foster professionalism by maintaining a strict zero-tolerance policy 
with regards to criminal activity for admitted participants as well as 
a code of conduct that includes rules for appearance.
  I am proud of the four Job Corps campuses in my home state of Texas. 
Job Corps has a regional headquarters in Dallas, Texas and operates 
campuses in the North, Central, South, and West regions of Texas. The 
Gary Job Corps center in San Marcos, Texas was inaugurated in 1964 by 
President Johnson. Today, the Gary campus has the largest GED program 
in the state of Texas. The Job Corps has provided thousands of Texans 
with the education and training they need to be successful at work and 
in life.
  I also want to mention the job fairs that I have hosted in my 
district of Houston, TX to help counter rising unemployment, designed 
to help all in need, including the young people that Job Corps assists. 
At the job fair in Houston last weekend, over 50 companies and 
government agencies attended and held on-site interviews. These events 
were incredible successes and embodied the spirit of the Job Corps 
program.
  Over its 45 year history, the Job Corps has helped nearly 3 million 
young people join the American workforce. The Job Corps operates 123 
campuses across the United States, assisting nearly 60,000 students 
each year. The Job Corps is a refuge for high school dropouts, 
providing academic remediation and empowering them to join the 
workforce through career preparation and development. For that reason, 
the Job Corps has been called the largest and most successful high 
school dropout recovery program in the U.S.
  The success of the Job Corps program in changing the lives of its 
participants is evident in the following statistics. After eight months 
in the Job Corps program, the average participant will have a high 
school diploma and an improved literacy level. Seventy-five percent of 
Job Corps graduates will secure employment or enter into military 
service.
  The benefits of the Job Corps go beyond the impact on the lives of 
the youth who participate in the program. The Job Corps enhances the 
workforce in communities across the country by partnering with labor 
organizations and employers to develop specifically requested skills. 
These partnerships include internships and other hands-on training 
experiences that enhance the youth participants' employability. The 
benefits of Job Corps also extend to the community where youths perform 
millions of hours of community service, instilling the value of giving-
back to the community.
  Finally, it is important that we note that National Job Corps Day 
also honors the 15,000 staff members who work hard to ensure that the 
participants get the best training possible. Without the hard work of 
these men and women, Job Corps would not have been able to help 
millions of young people enter the workforce and become productive 
citizens.

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