Gary Job Corps Graduates First Personal Officer, Honors March Employee Of The Month

Job Corps is a no-cost education and career technical training program administered by the U.S. Department of Labor that helps young people ages 16 to 24 improve the quality of their lives through career technical and academic training.

The Job Corps program is authorized by Title I-C of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014 (supersedes WIA 1998). For more information about the Job Corps program at a national level, please visit their Official Public Web Site.

Gary Job Corps Graduates First Personal Protective Officer

Gary Job Corps Security Academy graduated its first Texas Department of Public Safety Level 4 cadet. This program is only offered to the best in the trade.

In order to qualify just completing level 3 is not enough; cadets must have scored a 243 or better in the firearms qualification and have completed the pepper spray certification. 

This course teaches cadets the concepts of personal protection, dignitary protection, executive protection, and celebrity protection. A bodyguard or PPO is a person who protects someone from assault, kidnapping, assassination, or other threats.

Bodyguards are typically private security officers that are concealed arms certified and have expertise in unarmed combat. Cadets that qualify for this class receive extensive firearm training in both semi-automatic and revolvers. Methods of shooting such as the center axis relock method or “castle” are introduced and practiced; additionally, an intro into the operation of the AR-15 rifle is provided.

Advanced defensive tactics training that includes the use and defensive of edged weapons is provided to the cadets. To complete the course, cadets are required to pass both a written exam with a score of 75 or better, and a practice exercise of moving an instructor posing as a principal, while under duress to safety.

The Gary Job Corps Security Academy, known as the “PFC Kristian Menchaca Training Academy”, was named after a cadet who lost his life while serving in the U.S. Army as a military police officer in Iraq in 2003, and has been training cadets in corrections and security vocation since 2000. 

Gary Job Corps March Employee of the Month

Catherine Welsh, Residential Counselor, was selected as the March Gary Job Corps Employee of the Month.  Prior to coming to the Gary Job Corps Center she worked at Beall’s Department Store while attending Texas State University acquiring her degree in Political Science and Psychology.

Her passion for working with young people and the underserved came from the time she worked as a Caseworker with the San Marcos Housing Authority.

Scott Ullmann, Residential Manager stated “From the first time Ms. Welsh entered my office for her interview to current day, she has exemplified the true meaning of the role of residential counselor. She ensures Center policies are followed, residential staff are well-informed of regulation changes, and trainee customer service is a priority.

She is thorough regarding her performance of duties and takes great pride in her ability to case-manage trainees assigned and not assigned to her dormitory. Her attendance is exceptional and there have been times she has arrived early or stayed late, without complaint, to ensure the department was adequately-covered.

Ms. Welsh has acquired a great respect from the trainees in her dormitory based her ability to be fair and consistent regardless of the situation and her expectations for them are high.”

She is a great asset to the residential department and can be relied upon to follow-through assigned tasks.  Catherine said in closing about the mission of Job Corps “We make a Difference in Young Lives.”