Academic skills

Academic skills

At Job Corps, we will help you unlock your full potential. Not only do we offer hands-on career training, but we also offer classes in academics, like reading and math.

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High School Diploma or the equivalent

At no cost to you or your family, Job Corps provides any materials and supplies (i.e., books, workbooks, testing materials, specialized safety equipment) you’ll need to complete your academic and career training programs.

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English Language Learning (ELL) Program

Enroll in our English Language Learning (ELL) program and become more confident in your English speaking and writing abilities. Reasonable accommodations to support ELL are available.

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Tutoring and Academic Support

If you are interested in getting into a tutoring program once enrolled, you may contact your instructors or the Academic Manager. Tutoring is available in academics, where students are tutored by instructors or by fellow students (Peer Student Tutors).

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Advanced Career Training

Keep learning and training. Our Advanced Career Training (ACT) is an advanced college-level program. Students in ACT get to continue living on campus while taking courses for a college degree. To qualify for the ACT program, you must have:

  • A high school diploma or the equivalent
  • Completed at least one level of Job Corps career technical training
  • Recommendations from career technical training instructors and center staff
  • No major disciplinary issues within 60 days of applying
  • Above-average evaluation scores
Career Success Standards (CSS)

At Job Corps, we know that it’s important for you to have great employability, social and independent living skills. Before you enter the workforce, we’ll make sure you understand

Job Corps' 8 career success standards:

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Workplace Relationships and Ethics

Interact with co-workers and deal with problems and situations with honesty, integrity and responsibility.

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Communication

Listen actively, follow directions and communicate with others to solve problems and accomplish tasks.

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Personal Growth and Development

Hone your personal skills, attributes and behaviors that foster confidence and personal growth.

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Interpersonal Skills

Get along with others and adjust to a variety of social and professional situations.

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Information Management

Interpret and evaluate data, organize and maintain information, and use technology to complete your work.

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Multicultural Awareness

Value diversity and the ability to work with people of different backgrounds and cultures.

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Career and Personal Planning

Work on a personal plan that outlines a step-by-step process for entering and advancing in your career.

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Independent Living

Find, manage and use resources to maintain employment, support physical and emotional needs, and lead a productive and independent life.

Meet the staff

Meet the staff

Instructor
Ligon Drane
Ligon Drane is a Math 2 instructor at Atterbury Job Corps. He has taught for over two decades and has managerial and supervisorial experience. Ligon brings a plethora of knowledge and advice that students can learn from and utilize while under his care and instruction.
Brett Barnett
Brett Barnett
Brett Barnett is a Foundations instructor at Atterbury Job Corps Center. He previously served as a career transition specialist. Brett’s educational background is in criminal justice and criminology and counseling psychology. He assists students in finding the best training program for them, as well as employment, career technical training, and personal and social adjustment counseling on individual and group bases. Brett’s goal is to encourage students to always work hard and display sincere effort. 
Amanda McKinley
Amanda McKinley
Amanda McKinley , Reading instructor, grew up in a small town in southern Indiana. She moved to New York City after graduating from high school. In NYC, Amanda taught in afterschool programs and worked as a personal trainer. She also was involved in the arts, including choreography, poetry and music. Later in life, Amanda moved back to Indiana to be closer to her immediate family and to pursue a degree in education. She recently relocated to Columbus, Ind., to teach at Atterbury Job Corps and is enjoying getting to know the area and the people at Job Corps. She enjoys travel, literature and looking after her two very spoiled cats.   
Instructor
Danielle Prosch
Danielle Prosch is a Career Preparation Period instructor at Atterbury Job Corps Center. Danielle earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Purdue University and has previous experience working with youth, from working in youth shelters to preschool teaching. In her classroom, Danielle coaches students through the career planning and exploration process, in which students identify their skills, abilities, work values, work styles and how they can apply that to their future career. Her mission at Job Corps is to help newly admitted students feel welcomed into the program and help students gain the skills necessary to succeed throughout the program and into their future careers.
Katie Case
Katie Case
Katie Case is an HSD 3 academic instructor at Atterbury Job Corps. She graduated from Indiana University South Bend in 2008 with a degree in secondary education language arts and from Taylor University in 2020 with a certificate in elementary education. She grew up in Goshen, Ind., where her family has resided for five generations, but currently lives in Franklin. In her spare time, Katie enjoys reading, camping, decorating her home for holidays and eating ice cream. Someday, she hopes to travel the U.S. with her husband in an R.V.
Michelle Clementz
Michelle Clementz
Michelle Clementz has been a Reading instructor at Atterbury Job Corps Center for five years. In her classroom, Michelle teaches students about how to make inferences, support ideas with strong evidence and identify main ideas to help students prepare for the TABE test. Her mission at Job Corps is to help students improve their reading and comprehension skills, and to help students find topics they enjoy reading about. 
Mike Bealmear
Mike Bealmear
Mike Bealmear is the Work-Based Learning/ACT coordinator at Atterbury Job Corps Center. He has served as an instructor at Job Corps for over 10 years and was the Week One CPP Advisor for two and a half years prior to his current role. Mike’s mission at Job Corps is to coordinate internship opportunities with on-campus and off-center WBL partners and to assist students preparing to attend college. His favorite quote is from John Lennon: “Life is what happens to you when you’re busy making other plans.”
Susie McLaughlin
Susie McLaughlin
Susie McLaughlin joined the Atterbury Job Corps team as a CPP instructor in 2019 and started her current position as Math 3 instructor in November 2021. In her classroom, Susie teaches basic math skills including ratios and proportions, the number system, expressions and equations, algebra, functions, statistics and probability, and geometry. Her mission at Job Corps is to help students make TABE gains in math. 
Kristen Fifer
Kristen Fifer
Kristen Fifer is an HSD 2 academic instructor at Atterbury Job Corps. Originally from Memphis, Tenn., Kristen taught in Memphis-Shelby County schools for 16 years. She graduated from the University of Memphis with a degree in management information systems and later returned to graduate school and received her license to teach. Kristen relocated to Columbus in May 2021 and has enjoyed getting to know the students and staff at Job Corps.
Dawn Johns
Dawn Johns
Dawn Johns is a full-time disability and testing coordinator at Atterbury Job Corps Center and has been with the program since April 2020. Her professional background includes child welfare, foster care services, and working with children and families in need. In her classroom, Dawn proctors the TABE tests and assists students with disability accommodations. Her mission at Job Corps is to see each student have the tools they need to be successful once they complete the program.