Northlands Job Corps chosen as Business of the Month

The Addison County Chamber of Commerce Publicity & Promotions Committee is
pleased to announce that Northlands Job Corps has been chosen as the
February 2005 Business of the Month. Northlands Job Corp is located on
MacDonough Drive in Vergennes.
Sitting down and chatting with Center Director, Chris Kuhn and Tracy
Steen, Community Relations Liaison, I learned that Northlands Job Corps
opened their doors in Vergennes June 1979 which marks their 25th
anniversary this year. The National Job Corps will be celebrating their
40th anniversary in 2005. The Northlands campus is located on 66 acres and
offers nine vocational programs in the following subjects: Auto Body
Repair, Auto Mechanics, Business, Computer Support Specialist/Information
Technology, Culinary Arts, Facilities Maintenance, Health
Occupations/Certified Nursing Assistant, Urban Forestry and Welding.
Career Systems Development is the operating contractor for Northlands Job
Corp and they are at the end of their five-year contract. They are
presently in competition with other bidders to run the center for the next
contract cycle. Kuhn feels confident they will retain the contract.
The Center employs a staff of approximately 115 and is at full enrollment
of 280 students. Currently all students live on campus but they can
accommodate up to ten day students. Northlands Job Corps serves a student
population between the ages of 16 and 24, who come from all over New
England. The program is 100% federally funded with 30% of the student
population from Vermont with the balance of the students coming from other
areas in New England. Vermonters receive priority entry into the Center
since it is located in Vermont.
While Kuhn has only been at Northlands for the past few months, his career
with Job Corps spans twenty years. Tracy (a seven-year veteran with
Northlands) tells me that since Kuhn's arrival changes have been made.
They are building a positive culture and both students and staff (per a
satisfaction survey) are responding in a positive way. In addition to
focusing on academics and training, Kuhn has put a spotlight on wellness,
both physical and emotional, and encourages relationship building. Kuhn
commented that they are having fun building community relationships. The
goal is for students to stay longer so they can complete all of the levels
of the program in which they are enrolled. He wants students to feel like
they contribute and to also have a higher skill set when they leave.
Northlands Job Corps is committed to staff and students to perform 150
hours of community service each month. As a result they have contributed
much to the Vergennes area and Addison County. Some of the projects they
have completed are the rebuilding of the Welcome Center in Vergennes City
Park, construction of a two mile walking trail, and working on a 66-foot
climbing wall that they plan to open to the community this summer.
A special project last May was to help create the beginning stages of a
vineyard in Addison. Their work included pruning and planting of 720
vines, installing weed control mats, installing stakes and 6,000 feet of
irrigation tubing along with the irrigation system. According to owner
Bruce Mina, he and his brother owe a debt of gratitude to the eight
Northland students who worked on this project. Mina stated that the
students showed a dedication to the job, a good work ethic and positive
attitude that did not falter during the time they were at the worksite. He
went on to say the students were reliable, committed, dedicated, and
disciplined and he would recommend them and their work to anyone.
If you are interested in visiting Northlands Job Corps or learning more
about what they do contact Tracy Steen at 802-877-2922.
Congratulations to Northlands Job Corps Center and their dedicated team of
employees and students! ACCOC is proud to have them as a member and
extends sincere appreciation for their contributions to Addison County.