San Diego Job Corps:

    Job Corps was established in 1964 as part of the Johnson Administration’s War on Poverty. Funded by the U.S. Department of Labor, the program has trained and educated over 2 million young people at its 122 Centers throughout the U.S. Job Corps has become the largest, most successful residential and educational program of its kind in America. Each year 60,000 young people ranging in age from 16-24 take part in Job Corps’ GED, high school, and trade classes. Over 90% of Job Corps graduates get jobs, enlist in the military, or enroll in higher education.

    The San Diego Job Corps Center was established in 1979 and is located on 27 acres in Imperial Beach, CA. The program offers “at promise” young people a “fresh start”. The Center has 665 students and employs 250 people. Youth throughout the United States are welcomed at Job Corps, and can attain a GED and a high school diploma from SIAtech, an accredited public charter high school located on Center.

     Students can complete any of the nineteen trades offered on Center; Computer Repair and Cabling, Child Development, Auto Mechanics, Construction and Related Occupations, Culinary Arts, Facilities Maintenance, Security Services, Health Occupations, and Business Technology. While learning a trade, students also learn employability and life skills. Students also participate in work-based learning activities, allowing them to gain hands-on experience before beginning full-time employment. After completing training, a number of students are allowed to enroll at Southwestern College and continue to reside on Center.

     As part of becoming responsible and contributing citizens, students “give back” to the community by contributing thousands of hours of “Community Volunteer Service” projects throughout San Diego County.

Job Corps is located at 1325 Iris Avenue in Imperial Beach, CA, 91932, tel. no. (619) 429-8500.