"Embrace the opportunity [Job Corps] offers. It’s a huge steppingstone into any kind of career you would want in the future.”
Growing up in Ogden, Utah, Thaddaeus had always known about the Clearfield Job Corps Center, but never understood the impact of the program until he experienced it for himself. Before joining Job Corps at the age of 22, Thaddaeus held down a variety of odd jobs: a teacher’s assistant, customer service representative at Home Depot, and lastly a caretaker for an elderly veteran. It was this caretaker role that spurred his interest in helping people and eventually pursuing the Advanced Emergency Management Training Program.
While his basic training was as a computer technician, he realized that his true calling in life centered around helping people. He said that by “taking care of people and being that sigh of relief … is one of the most satisfying things of joy I’ve ever had. It brings me so much happiness.”
When his instructor advised him to consider applying to the Advanced Emergency Management Training Program, he immediately jumped at the chance. He remembers thinking, “This sounds like a job I want. Not just a job I’d be good at, but one that would be a fulfilling job.”
“Job Corps is a place that gives you all the tools to help yourself. Take full advantage because you will never get that kind of help again.”
In his Advanced Training Program, he earned a 0865 Site Inspection Course Certificate and OSHA 30 credentials, making him qualified to apply for a position with FEMA. With ongoing support from his instructors and Career Transition Specialist, he was successful in the application process and was offered a position as an operations specialist manager that will eventually lead into a site inspector role.
As an operations specialist manager, Thaddaeus will go to areas of need and help personnel and people understand processes as they fill out forms for assistance. As a site inspector, he will eventually go to places of damage and take records and documentation for insurance purposes.
While Thaddaeus is a natural-born helper, his role as vice president in the Student Government Association further developed his skills as a problem solver and encouraged him to look for ways to improve any situation. He is looking forward to working with people all over the country to improve their lives for the better.
“Job Corps was the way for me to get the education I needed and was unable to afford.”