NEW MEXICO — Buildings don’t last forever. Whether it’s a home or a business, maintenance issues pop-up that require attention. So, who do you call? Gila National Forest Supervisor Camille Howes called on the Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers, an often-untapped resource, for an extreme makeover of seasonal housing at the remote Beaverhead Work Center on the Black Range Ranger District.

“We have a crucial need for workers and a large number of aging buildings on which updates and repairs are long overdue,” said Howes. “Job Corps has students in need of real-world experience, who are ready for a challenge and willing to help. Partnering with Job Corps is a fantastic mutually beneficial opportunity to meet their needs and ours at the same time.”

The first cohort of eight pre-apprentice carpentry and painting students from the Anaconda, Frenchburg, Harpers Ferry and Timber Lake CCCs arrived in June 2023 to replace flooring, plumbing, windows, doors, cabinetry, appliances and fixtures. As they rotate through the project, the students are not just tackling priority deferred maintenance, but they are also learning about the intricacies of what constitutes good craftsmanship. Those are some of the lessons the students learned under the leadership of Crew Boss Michael “Mick” Omun.

A retired Forest Service maintenance technician, Omun’s past careers as a college professor, Green Beret Vietnam combat medic and police officer make him an exacting supervisor. “No better person on Earth could have answered the call through the ACES program to serve as our crew boss,” stated Howes “He’s tough and tender and the students are responding well to him.” Howe hired Omun through the ACES program, the Forest Service Agriculture Conservation Experienced Services program.   

Omun takes pride in his students’ performance, holding his students to a high standard. In one instance, he made them go back and repaint completed work no less than five times because he found scratches. He ends each workday with a team after-action review and asks each student two questions—what they did and what they learn. “This methodology does two things,” stated Omun. “First it helps ensure quality going forward and secondly it improves team communication”

Omun assigns the students partners and uses a board/point system to improve their motivation. “Successfully completion of a task gives a positive point to both them and their partner,” said Omun. “If one person messes up, both him and his partner lose a point. The mind of the collective is greater than the mind of one.” He ends each workday by asking each student two questions—what they did and what did they learn. Through this tough love and high expectations, Omun has formed a strong bond with his students.

For her part, Howes recognizes that young Job Corps students have the required skill set but are still learning how to operate in a professional work environment. 

“We could not be more satisfied with the quality of workmanship and frankly have been surprised and delighted by their skill level,” she stated. “At the end of each day, he [Omun] has them do an after-action review on what they learned and where they can do better tomorrow. He asked me to bring each of them a notebook so they can journal their experiences – what a teacher!”

Across the CCCs, journeymen instructors from national trade unions provide Job Corps students rigorous training which emphasizes professional credentials and certifications. Work-based learning projects provide Job Corps students the opportunity to apply theories and skills they’ve learned in the classroom in a real-world context. Under the supervision of trainers like Omun, it is an invaluable training tool, helping students mature into confident responsible employees.

If you would like to accomplish critical project work or would like to hire a Job Corps student for an internship, contact Program Coordinator W. Clay Coleman at 352-441-0168 or walter.coleman@usda.gov.