“Come to Job Corps with an open mind. At times, you’ll need to be a leader and a follower. Follow the good habits you see. Decision-making is everything, and you’ll have to learn how to stand on your own two feet and protect your future.”
After graduating from high school, Alex worked at Walmart, JCPenney and a Vietnamese restaurant; but he wanted more out of life. He wanted a career.
“I felt like I wasn’t living up to my full potential. I wanted to do something different and find something with longevity, so I could create a future for myself.”
Alex learned about Job Corps after a conversation with his mother and grandmother. His grandmother attended Job Corps, and they both encouraged him to invest in his future. Knowing it was time to make a change, Alex listened.
While at Jacksonville Job Corps Center in Florida, Alex trained in Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning. He excelled and was selected to the Advanced Manufacturing Production Technology program sponsored by Johnson & Johnson Vision.
“I felt like I wasn’t living up to my full potential. I wanted to do something different and find something with longevity, so I could create a future for myself.”
Partnerships between Job Corps and employers like Johnson & Johnson Vision allow students like Alex to train with top-of-the-line robotics equipment to prepare for successful manufacturing careers. These partnerships also ensure students are prepared for interviews and life outside of Job Corps and serve as direct feeders for the company.
Alex’s resilience and drive paid off. Today he works as a process technician at Johnson & Johnson Vision, manufacturing contact lenses. His advanced training at Job Corps made him a qualified candidate and gave him the skills he needed to work for Johnson & Johnson Vision.