Andre Riggins is one of several staff at the Brooklyn Job Corps Center whose sole purpose is to help graduates find jobs.

“What I do,” explains Andre, “is I try to understand their situation and what they’re looking for in terms of career opportunity.”

Young graduates need the support and direction as they set out to launch new careers. At Brooklyn Job Corps, they can get training in healthcare, security, culinary arts, and computer technology.

The best part—staff like Andre work with each student from day one preparing them to be successful in their future careers. And when they’re close to graduation, Andre and others hit the pavement connecting graduates with employers.

On one recent trip, Andre connected graduates of the security program with the New York City Fire Services & Guard Company. His contact there is manager Karell Barrett.

“They give us awesome students,” she says, “that we can employ here with our company. They come in fully trained with the trade that we need them to come in with which is the FO1 Fire Guard License. They come in fully trained and certified.”

Fire Services & Guards hires Brooklyn Job Corps graduates in good-paying, full-time jobs. And Karrell appreciates Andre’s attentiveness to their workplace needs.

“Very good relationship,” she says. “He lets me know when the students are fully trained, and then he sends them our way. And then we bring them aboard and send them out for employment.”

Brooklyn Job Corps doesn’t stop there. Andre and others follow up with the newly hired graduates every month for at least a year to make sure they’re on the right track.