Career Preparation

Career Preparation is the first of the Career Development Services System periods that a student experiences once enrolled. The emphasis is to determine educational, vocational, service and social needs. During Career Preparation:

• Students are made to feel welcome and familiar with the center
• Students adjust to the program
• Staff learn about the student and students self-discover through a variety of assessments
• A Personal Career Development Plan is designed to be the road map through the program
• Personal growth is emphasized

The actual Career Preparation Period (CPP) is the student's first 60 days on center.  However, based on each student's individual and specific needs, goals and possible barriers to success, the services students receive in CPP will be customized for every student.

Career Development

During the Career Development Period, students learn the academic and vocational skills they will need to become successfully employed. We offer a wide range of programs:

• Remedial English and Math
• GED Preparation
• Spanish GED preparation
• English as a Second Language
• High School Diploma

• Social Skills
• Employability Skills
• Communication Skills
• Driver's Education
• Career Transition Readiness
• Business Etiquette
• Information Technology
• Diversity Training

• Union Programs
  • Bricklaying
  • Carpentry
  • Painting
• Business Technologies
  • Microsoft MOUS
• Health Occupations
  • Nursing Assistant--State certification
• Pharmacy Technician--State license

• Information Technology
• HTML
• Java Script

• Computer Technician
  • Comptia A+
• Machine Operator
  • NIMS Certification

Career Transition

Job Corps services do not end when a student leaves the program.  Their success AFTER they leave is even more important than their success in the program; after all our mission is to help our students become employable. There are Career Transition Specialists located throughout the country to assist students with their transitional needs (housing, childcare, transportation, etc).

Once a new student selects a vocation, the student is assigned a Case Management Team made up of the student, the student's vocational instructor, career development specialist and counselor. The team evaluates the student's readiness for promotion to the next period in CDSS, monitors progress, coordinates services and determines when the student is ready for graduation and placement.

When the student is ready for placement, the career development specialist works with the student to enlist in the military, enroll full-time in an educational institution, or secure a well-paying job. To assist graduates to function independently, the government provides a transitional allowance of up to $1,200. Graduates can use this for the security deposit on an apartment, down payment on a car or other transitional needs.

Depending on the accomplishments of exiting students, they can receive placement and follow-up services for up to two years. During this period the Paul Simon Chicago Center works closely with post-center Career Transition Services, JACS and support agencies to provide exiting students all the services they need to be successful.