Esther Johnson is the first black woman to head the Department of Labor?s Job Corps. Initiated by President Lyndon Johnson in 1964, the program now has 122 centers throughout the country and educates and trains about 62,000 youths between the ages of 16 to 24 each year.
What resources do you have here in the Washington region?
We have two centers in Maryland, in Laurel and Woodstock, and one in Southeast D.C. In total, we serve about 1,200 students in the region.
In the metro area, employers often talk about the talent shortage they face. How does Job Corps help fill this gap?
Job Corps is one of the best-kept secrets in this country. We?ve had a major marketing campaign in the last two years with small and large employers in the area, and we?re … working with local employers to fill specific positions.
What are some of the industries you?re focusing on here?
The Southeast center in D.C. has a transportation program to train people to work for Amtrak and airlines. Our Woodstock center has cabling services training, as there is a demand for jobs with cable companies and DirecTV. The construction trades are huge, along with culinary arts and health care.
In light of the current economic environment, are you seeing an increased interest in Job Corps?
We?ve had a major media blitz targeting young people with ads and YouTube videos for the past two years, so we have seen an overall increase in enrollment. But there has been a steady increase recently, since there are fewer jobs available now for the 16- to 24-year-old population that doesn?t have a high school diploma.
Why are you committed to Job Corps?
There is such an important need out there in the country for getting young people into programs and help them stay out of trouble. I see so much promise in these young people.
