Some of Collin College’s newest students are from North Texas Job Corps are, first row, Mariah Washington, Desire Juarez, Cornelius Johnson, Tittiana Gotlewski, and Jamie Lyons; standing, Jose Garcia, Ephrata Mengistu, and Sheldon Hartfield

Thirteen students at North Texas Job Corps are fulfilling their dream to go to college this semester by taking advantage of the Job Corps Advanced Career Training Program partnership with Collin College.  These students started at Collin College in January.  Under the ACT program, students can enroll in community college and earn an associate degree or certificate at no cost to themselves.  Students continue to live on the North Texas Job Corps campus, and the center arranges transportation to and from the college.  All 13 students completed one or more career training technical training programs on center before enrolling at Collin College.

Some of the students tapping into the ACT program had already set their sights on college.  For others, college seemed like an impossible dream, and still others hadn’t even considered college until they learned about the ACT program.

The students enrolled at Colin College this spring semester are Cornelius Johnson, Donnell Strange, Mariah Washington, Valdez Welch, Wymore Maxwell, Jacqualla Edwards, Tattiana Gotlewski, Jose Garcia, Ephrata Mengistu, Jamie Lyons, Conor Kelly, Desiree Juarez, and Sheldon Hartfield.

So far the transition to college has been a smooth one for Mengistu, who is working towards an associate degree in nursing.  “it is fun,” Mengistu said.  “I like it.  I like the way we learn.”  Her goal is to eventually become a Registered Nurse.

The center’s ACT program provides one more avenue for young people to pursue an education that will set them up for success in careers and in life.

Job Corps is the largest nationwide residential career training program in the country and has been operating for over 50 years.  Job Corps has trained and educated over two million individuals since 1964.  The North Texas Job Corps center  is located in McKinney, TX.  Our job training program helps eligible youth, ages 16 through 24, train for meaningful careers in Construction, Healthcare, Hospitality, Transportation, Homeland Security, and Finance/Business.  Students are also able to complete their high school education and obtain employment.