GARY JOB CORPS
New Gary Job Corps Center Director looks to expand community partnerships
Gary Job Corps recently held a community luncheon at Black’s BBQ to update the public on what is going on at the center, to bolster community partnerships and to introduce everyone to the new Center Director, Norman Turner.
“We have an opportunity to be the shining star of a Job Corps program — not just of Texas, not just of the South, of the Job Corps program — by creating powerful, strong partnerships with organizations that can benefit from us, and we can benefit from them,” Turner said. “That is my goal. That is my vision.”
Turner said he came from the Gadsden Job Corps Center in Alabama, his home state. He has been with the job corps for 19 years.
“My goal, currently, is to increase our OBS — our onboard strength. We're trying to get our OBS increased as quickly and as efficiently as possible. We have about 400 students waiting to come to Gary right now, but we need to do it smart. We need to do it in a very efficient way so that we can ensure we re- tain our students,” Turner said. “My second priority as center director is to grow our partnerships. What I recognize is there are some folks who have no clue we exist, and what I mean by that is that a job corps exists, that we’ve got a center. … We've got to do a better job to ensure that everybody in our community recognizes who we are and what we're here to do.”
Gary Job Corps hosted a community luncheon to expand community partnerships and introduce people to the new Center Director, Norman Turner. Above, Turner addresses GJC community partners to update them on what is happening at the center and request their help in providing opportunities for his students. Below right, GJC Business Engagement Liaison Susanne Ritter, GJC Center Director Norman Turner and GJC Community Relations Coordinator Randolph Goodman Daily Record photos by Shannon West
Turner said he would like to expand the Gary Job Corps community partnerships.
“Prime example, we've made some connections through our regional office out of Dallas. Mr. Roff has been at the forefront really creating this ship building opportunity for our students with Huntington Ingalls in Pascagoula, Mississippi. Two weeks ago, we had three students take their welding test. We had a gentleman come from Huntington, and they have a multi billion dollar contract with the Department of Navy to build ships for the Navy; they hired three of our students. They passed their welding test, which is very difficult to do,” Turner said. “These students will start at $25 an hour. After the first year, 9 times out of 10, it will be up to $30 [or] $35 an hour. These are life changing things.”
Turner asked that the community partners in the room to please think of GJC for any local staffing needs.
“Let's do something that nobody has ever expected us to do,” Turner said. “How can we partner? How can we help? And how can you put us in a position to better serve our students?”
Several students and former students shared how the job corps has made a positive impact on their lives.
Marisol Gomez Mendoza is now the San Marcos Area Chamber of Commerce operations and memberships manager and has been with the chamber for 14 years. Before joining the Chamber, she was a Gary Job Corps student in 2005.
Rosa Garcia is a Gary Job Corps student, and she said the center has changed her life.
“I’ve been at Gary for about seven or eight months,” Garcia said. “I'm the Student Government executive treasurer. I just want to say thank you to all of you for supporting this program. … I get a little emotional about it, sorry, but I felt like this was my last opportunity. So thank you so much for supporting me.”
Another student, Devin Hailey, said he has been with the program for over a year.
“I’m in Advanced Human Services,” Hailey said. “I’m also with the Student Government Association. I’m the Vice President. Today, I’m here as a student advocate. … I’m here to figure out how we can better help out in the community, and I’m excited to be here.”
Turner wanted to highlight some of Hailey’s achievements at GJC.
“Devin traveled with me to Washington, D.C. in August. We went to our leadership conference. It's an annual leadership conference. He represented the state of Texas. And when I tell you, this guy represented the state of Texas, you all would have been proud. … He walked in the last day, and he's got this gray suit on. I mean, he was cleaner than a Board of Health,” Turner said. “He represented — not only Gary, not only the San Marcos community, not only his home city of Houston — He represented the state of Texas in a very powerful way.”
Learn more about the Gary Job Corps at gary. jobcorps.gov.
