Page 10, Portland Observer, June 1. 1988
Xnero and associates, inc.
Nero Challenges Youth, Parents, And Community
David Nero, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer
Let’s deal with cold, hard real­
ities. If you are old enough and
educated enough to read this
newspaper, you are old enough to
know that the truth is not always
pretty — but recognizing it, is
always useful.
Let’s talk about education. If
you come from a “ disadvantaged
background in this country —
whether your “ disadvantage
comes from having a different
colored skin or an empty wallet,
or both — education is going to
play a key role in determining
which direction your life takes
and where you end up. That is an
undeniable fact of life. Whether
you like school or not, you are go­
ing to be affected for the rest of
your life by your relationship to
education.
One of the most painfully ob­
vious consequences of not
achieving success in the class­
room is how much more difficult
it makes it for you to achieve suc­
cess in employment and careers.
That is another cold hard fact of
life. But you notice I did not say
that makes it impossible — more
difficult, yes; but impossible, no!
That’s one of the things that
Job Corps is about: Providing an
alternative route to career suc­
cess for youth — maybe you —
who have found traditional educa­
tional systems unrewarding. The
truth is that the greatest harm
comes to those who run from
educational difficulties and begin
to lose confidence in tnemselves,
and finally lose their self respect.
Those feelings of a lack of self
esteem and accom plishm ent
make it just that much harder to
overcome the “ disadvantages
that color of skin or lack of money
impose upon us in this society. It
makes some of us stop working
hard toward success because we
think it is beyond our grasp. Don’t
you believe for one minute that it
has to be that way. There are hun­
dreds of Job Corps Alumni pos­
sessing college degrees, up to
and including Ph.D’s. Thousands
holding down upper middle class
jobs and all successful graduates
are employed with most on a
career path.
Helping young people recon­
struct their self-esteem is a big
part of the Job Corps effort and
experience. Job Corps makes it
possible for young people to be­
gin to believe in themselves and
their potential again — or often for
the first time.
We live in a country in which
there is an opportunity for every­
one to succeed with a guarantee
of success. We all know the
words — our country is com m it­
ted to concepts like democracy,
equality, and liberty. We also
know that it has taken a long hard
struggle of more than two hun­
dred years to make those words
even close to reality for most of
the country's minorities and poor
people.
Formal education, because of
often reflected white middle and
upper middle class American
values and expectations, has
often been a barrier to minority
and disadvantaged youth rather
than an avenue to success and
a c h ie v e m e n t. M any ra c ia l
minorities, many poor people,
were bound not to feel comfort­
able or succeed in that environ­
ment. Remember, I told you that
the truth isn't always pretty —
but recognizing it, is always
useful.
Under the Job Corps Act Pro­
gram (Advanced Career Training)
typically, a qualifying high school
graduate or GED recipient meet­
ing college entrance require­
ments may enter the Job Corps
and at the same time enter a
junior or four-year college, com­
plete the requirements for an
A sso ciates Degree in th e ir
chosen career field at the ex­
pense of Job Corps. While, at the
same time, obtaining a clothing
allowance, health and dental care,
food, housing, counseling, re­
creation and to top it all off,
muster out of the program with
both a degree and a bankroll in ex­
cess of $3,000 that Job Corps has
put aside. The individual may then
enter the work force or elect to
continue their educational pur­
suits for higher degrees. Take the
case of Paulette Robinson for in­
stance, one of our very own, born
and bred in Portland, Oregon.
Paulette started out working at
Nero and Associates as a recep­
tionist in 1972. Mrs. Freddy
Petett. also a member of the Nero
staff, counseled her and recom­
mended the Job Corps. Today.
Paulette, has her Ph.D and holds
a high position with the Urban
League in Columbus, Ohio.
The youth of today who have
not enjoyed great success in tra­
d itional educational settings
need to understand that such lack
of success is not necessarily pro­
of of failure or inadequacy. You
need to know that lack of success
does not automatically mean lack
of merit, capability or potential.
What it does mean is by recog­
nizing these truths you can make
a personal decision, a personal
commitment not to become or
stay a victim of the system. The
choice — and there really is a
choice— is up to you.
Job Corps can help you with
that decision and in making your
potential a reality. It requires
strong personal motivation on
your part. Training is no guaran­
tee of success — but one thing is
guaranteed: without training, it is
much more difficult or impossible
to compete in the modern job
market and much more likely that
the comforts and benefits of
modern life will be out of your
reach. Who can do something
about it? You can. Your responsi­
bility to yourself and your own
self interest, family, community,
and even your nation requires that
you excel in your training. It s up
to you.
Job Corps offers you more than
job training alone. You'll have the
opportunity to learn about and be
the recipient of excellent health
services and a nutritious diet.
You’ll have access to medical and
dental care on a level not often
found in “ disadvantaged circum­
stances. You will get to meet and
come to know people from other
cultures, other areas with other
ideas and perspectives. And per­
haps, most importantly, you will
learn about yourself — and that is
the most useful and most pre­
cious knowledge of all.
You have a chance today to
decide that you will not be one of
those youth left behind and trap­
ped in your own “ disadvantages.
If you are between 16 and 21 years
of age, decide now to use. Job
Contact our local Job Corps of­
fice, 520 S.W. 5th Ave., Suite 1225,
Cascade Building, Portland, Oregon
97204. Call - (503) 225-1941 or
Toll-Free 1-800-452-5218 ... Now
and learn how you can take your
first big steps toward success. Men
16 to 21; Women 16 to 24.
FACT: 9 Out Of 10 Youths
From Job Corps Got Jobs
Last Year!
Would You Say NO To
One-Half Million Dollars?
That Is What You Do ...
When You Drop-Out Of
High School
Currently,2500 women and men are
enrolled in Northwest Job Corps and
most end up with jobs. In fact, nine out
of every ten youth from Job Corps got
jobs last year.
As you walk around the premises of
any of the ten Job Corps Centers you
notice a calm atmosphere, with clean
surroundings that are well kept.
What Else Will You
Receive At Job Corps?
Meet James Taylor age 22 (left) and Neal Blackwell age 23
(right) who are enrolled in the Springdale Job Corps Center.
After becoming painters they transferred to Springdale and
• Recreation programs
• Paycheck
• Savings
• Clothing
• Medical care
• Dental care &
• Driver’s
Education
currently are enrolled in Auto Body Painting.
They pushed hard while in painting and completed in 7 mon­
ths Both had high school diplomas when they entered. Most do
not, and work at getting a GED along with their job skills. James
said about himself, "You come to get your trade. It'll help me get a
better job."
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Students live in dormitories and are
well supervised. Dorms for girls have a
few nice touches, while te men’s dor­
ms are a little more utilitarian. The
youth cooperatively share house­
keeping chores and meet regularly in
student government and dorm meet­
ings.
VWien asked about complaints they
talk about the food. Howeve, at meal
times they congregate peacefully at
the dinning hall and are served cafe­
teria style, a nutritious variety of foods
which they quickly devour.
All centers have shops for the
trades, and all materials and tools. I
They each learn at their individual rate.
Unions teach several trades; namely
the United Brotherhood of Carpenters
and Joiner of America teach carpentry.
This is an avenue into an apprentice­
ship.
Education facilities are staffed with
State Certified high school teachers.
The program emphasizes obtaining
GED’s.
Here Is Your Choice Of Careers:
James and Neal are friends and entered Job Corps about the
same time. Neal said, "I was tired of just hanging around doing
nothing and going no where with my life."
Job Corp was a chance to get ahead for Neal and James, and
was free. Neal said, "I try to strive hard." And about Job Corp they
say, "It brought me a long way. It's taught me a trade, how to work,
and how to give a little extra. Once you accomplish it, no-one can
take it away from you. That's why we're here. We were actually
taught the trade. Now we’re excellent painters. You're making a
mistake to drop out of school. You should be someplace like Job
Corps,and do something you enjoy doing, not wasting time.
Corps as an opportunity to excel.
The Job Corps Program is put­
ting forth special efforts to attract
young women ages 16 to 24 for
both the Resident and non-Resi-
dent programs. This includes
women with a child or children.
Currently, and more so in the fu­
ture, there will be great demands
for skilled women in the work
force.
I’ve pointed out some of the
harsh realities as well as some
opportunities that life offers each
of you. Now you have a choice to
mak e _ g o for success or settle
for failure. And if you fail, you can
blame it on racism — if you want
to. You can blame it on sex-
ism — jf you want to. You can
blame it on a lack of money or
econom ic resources — if you
want to. But if you say and accept
those things — as right as they
might be — you will not be a bet­
ter person for it. You will still be
their victim.
But let me make one thing very
clear to you. If you fail to acheive
success, there is one thing you
cannot say: You cannot blame it
on a lack of opportunity because
the Job Corps gives that opportu­
nity to you today. Seize it.
By the way, did I mention that
you get paid while you are training
in Job Corps? You do. They also
put money aside for you so that
when you complete your training
you will have a nest egg. Now
that's one of life s prettier
realities!
James Taylor, age 22 (left) and Neal Blackwell, age 23 (right), who are
enrolled in the Springdale Job Corps.
Learn How You Can Take Your First
Big Steps Toward Success!
Men 16 to 21 - Women 16 To 24
Auto Body Repair ★ Auto Body Painting ★ Auto Mechanic
Baking ★ Building Maintenance ★ Brick Masonry
Cooking ★ Data Entry ★ Deck Hand
Dental Assistant ★ Drafting ★ Electronic Assembly
Forestry Aide ★ Geriatric Aide ★ Glazing
Heavy Equipment Operator ★ Heavy Equipment Repair
Home Health Aide ★ Landscape Gardener
Nurse Assistant ★ Painting ★ Plastering ★ Printing
Sign Painting ★ Tile Setting ★ TV Cable Installer
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Truck Driving ★ Ward Clerk ★ Warehousing
Weatherization ★ Welding ★ Wood Processing
JOB CORPS APPLICATION & PLACEMENT AGENCY
520 S W. 6th Ave., Suite 1225/Cascade Building/Portland, OR 97204/ (503) 225-1941
1-800-452-5218
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