The Quentin N. Burdick Job Corps Center recently celebrated its 30th anniversary in Minot. It’s been a great three decades, and the center’s future continues to look bright.
The Job Corps program was established in 1964 by President Lyndon B. Johnson’s Economic Opportunity Act. There are 120 centers nationwide, serving more than 50,000 students each year. More than three million individuals have graduated from Job Corps facilities since 1964.
Those of us who have lived in Minot for more than 30 years probably remember some of the discussion surrounding the proposal to build a Job Corps center in Minot. Not everyone was in favor of putting the campus in northwest Minot, among the already established neighborhoods and an existing elementary school. Some residents expressed serious concern about the center that would serve up to 190 low-income individuals from North Dakota and other states.
Their concerns included potential negative effects on neighborhood home values, the overall safety of the neighborhood, and whether a Job Corp center and accompanying buildings would fit in as part of a residential neighborhood.
Thirty years later, I think all of those concerns have been put to rest.
Our Job Corps center, currently serving about 140 students, has become a visible part of northwest Minot. The safety and security concerns have been addressed through the center’s rigorous guidelines and standards. Job Corps has a zero-tolerance policy regarding alcohol and all other drugs, and students who are accepted into the program are held to high standards of personal conduct. As a center, they’ve proven to be a good neighbor and a welcome part of northwest Minot.
Job Corps has been changing the lives of individuals for 60 years nationwide, and for 30 years right here in Minot. Centers provide educational and career opportunities for young adults between the ages of 16 and 24 through more than 100 training areas in 10 high-demand industries, including hospitality, transportation, construction, information technology, health care, automotive and machine repair, finance and business, homeland security, advanced manufacturing, and renewable energy and resources.
The Quentin Burdick Job Corps Center has grown into a great partner here in Minot, with students regularly volunteering their time at community events and for other local organizations. In addition, the center has been creating a steady stream of trained and qualified employees for the local business community across a wide variety of industries. The overall impact on Minot has been overwhelmingly positive, from both a community standpoint and from a business world perspective.
Through 30 years, there’s no doubt the Minot center has accomplished its goal of providing low-income youth with the chance to further their education while creating lifelong employment opportunities. The success of these students speaks volumes about the viability and life-changing programs provided by Job Corps. Their success in transforming themselves into valuable members of our local work force and positive members of the Minot community are further proof that Job Corps’ mission continues to be an important social and economic tool, both nationwide and in Minot.
Happy birthday, Quentin N. Burdick Job Corps Center. We’re glad you’re here in Minot, and as a community, we’re looking forward to continuing to grow and strengthen our partnership with you for the next 30 years and beyond.
You can find more about what’s happening at the City of Minot at minotnd.org, or find us on Facebook and Twitter. We’d also encourage you to sign up for our monthly electronic newsletter on our website.