After extended period of virtual learning, Turner Job Corps has re-opened

ALBANY — Officials with the Turner Job Corps Center announced that the campus has immediate availability to safely house, feed, and educate qualified applicants and place them directly into employment in the community.

The Turner Job Corps Center has the capacity to serve 732 students ages 16-24 in areas such as heavy equipment operator and mechanic, certified nursing assistant, welding and landscaping. In addition, the campus works directly with local and national employers to help them fill in-demand and well-paying positions. Employers include Flint Equipment Company, the city of Albany, the Dougherty County School System.

Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic significantly reduced the number of students the Turner Job Corps Center has served over the past year and a half. But with effective vaccines and continued safety precautions, the center is now ready to expand its training opportunities.

“We are incredibly excited that our campus has fully re-opened, expanded our training opportunities, and we are eager to bring in deserving young people and help them start their careers,” Center Director Nathaniel Cooper said in a news release. “With a long track record of successfully placing our graduates into meaningful careers in Albany and surrounding areas, we want our community to know that Job Corps is a terrific first option for any interested young person.”

The Turner Job Corps campus already has demonstrated its ability to house and serve students safely and effectively despite COVID. The program has protocols and policies in place to track COVID symptoms, test, and prevent an outbreak.

“The past two years have been trying for all of us,” Byron V. Garrett, the CEO and president of National Job Corps Association, said. “This time has also shown us that Job Corps’ dedication to teaching trades to young people has made a big difference, not only in the lives of our students and their families, but in the lives of Americans reliant upon the work Job Corps alumni have been trained to do. Given our availability to immediately serve students, we know the potential for our campuses to transform lives and want everyone to know that Job Corps is re-opened and ready to help.”

For information, contact Outreach and Admissions Director Patrice Williams at (229) 889-2007 or online at [email protected].

Staff Photo: Carlton Fletcher