TAHLEQUAH, Okla. – On Friday 150 students will cross the stage as they graduate from Talking Leaves Job Corps. The center is also celebrating the 50th anniversary of the founding of the national Job Corps program.

Each year, Job Corps gives 60,000 at-risk youth across the country a second chance to complete their high school diploma or General Equivalency Degree and get specialized career training for a work-ready job market.

“Through academic and career technical training we are making quality investments for the future. This is a program I believe in and supported as a former Tribal Councilor and still do as a state representative,” said Cherokee Nation Chief of Staff Chuck Hoskin Sr., who also serves in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. “Throughout the United States, Job Corps has helped turn people’s lives around, including here in the Cherokee Nation. This program is important in developing a good work ethic in our Cherokee youth, which is vital to the individual’s future and the future of our tribal nation.”

Started in 1964, Job Corps has trained more than 2.7 million young people nationwide in more than 100 career technical areas, ranging from automotive to nursing assistants to information technology.

Talking Leaves Job Corps in Tahlequah, which is managed by the Cherokee Nation, opened its doors in 1978 and currently serves 197 students between the ages of 16 and 24. The center is funded by the U.S. Department of Labor.

At the graduation, Hoskin Sr. will give the keynote address and Principal Chief Bill John Baker will wish students success in their careers.