Name: Michara Gasper
Age: 18
Center: Cleveland Job Corps
Region: Chicago
Hometown: Dayton, OH
Career Area: Bricklaying
Dates in JC: February 2016 – January 2017
Military: Army
Career: Patriot Launching Station Enhanced Operator/Maintainer (14T)

With a family unit that guides and encourages Michara “Mikey” Gasper is certain to flourish. After a conversation with his aunt, Gasper decided to enroll in Job Corps. Gaper’s aunt is a Job Corps Alumni who wanted her nephew to jump start his career and get a high school diploma.

Because he moved around a lot as a child, Gasper sought stability and decided to enroll in the residential program at the Cleveland Job Corps. “I found the Bricklaying trade to be enjoyable and amusing at the same time, which helped me select that trade,” expressed Gasper. He obtained certification in bricklaying, and his high school diploma during his enrollment.

He reminiscences back to the very first wall he built using a half bond pattern of bricks (alternating courses of full brick and half brick), which made Gasper very proud as he explained, “it was the first time I had ever built something with my own hands.” Gasper described his Bricklaying Instructor, John Butcher as serious but at the same time enjoyable and engaging. “Mr. Butcher let us make mistakes, then he would assist us with finding the best solution,” explained Gasper.

As Gasper got closer to his completion date, he began pondering about enlisting in the military or enrolling in college. He sought advice from his veteran uncle and chose to enlist in the Army. Gasper chose Patriot Launching Station Enhanced Operator/Maintainer (14T) as his military occupational specialty. The job will entail helping with the preparation and maintenance of Patriot missile technologies. Gasper’s advice to new students, is not to lose focus of why they came to Job Corps.