Long Beach Job Corps Center hosts anniversary celebration

Long Beach Job Corps Center students did something unusual to mark the Job Corps 45th anniversary.  Five years from now, students attending the Southern California center will probably appreciate their originality.

In 2014, students at the Long Beach Job Corps Center will witness the program's evolution when they unearth a time capsule buried last month to commemorate the 45th anniversary.

"The idea was to have students put in items of significance to them," said Sandy Annino, business and community liaison for the Long Beach center.  "Then new students will open it to mark Job Corps' 50th anniversary."

During the time capsule ceremony, Job Corps students placed letters, achievement records and class photographs into the vessel before depositing it into the ground.

The Long Beach center currently serves about 300 youth, ages 16 to 24.  Some students have completed high school; but most are working to earn their high school diplomas while at the center.

As part of the program, Job Corps is required to place every student into higher education, the military or a job. Due to the current job market, this often is a challenge as students compete with people in their 30s who have been laid off.

The Long Beach Job Corps Center is also in the process of creating a green industry council subcommittee.  The center is following a nationwide Job Corps directive to ‘go green.’ 

(Posted 10/30/09)

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