The CareerSource NEFL Gateway Career Center, located at 5000 Norwood Ave. in Jacksonville, serves as the region’s only one-stop job center – also referred to as an American Job Center. Alongside CareerSource NEFL workforce representatives, Jacksonville Job Corps Center (JJCC) is among 12 agency partners on-site that provide additional assistance to job seekers.
JJCC is a no-cost residential education and career technical training program administered by the U.S. Department of Labor that’s designed to help young adults ages 16 through 24 gain the academic, professional, and social skills necessary to launch meaningful careers or pursue higher education.
In addition to center’s operation of a structured, supportive community environment located on Payne Stewart Drive in Jacksonville, it offers hands-on, industry-recognized credential programs across several high-demand sectors – where students gain real-world, on-the-job experience working with local employers like UPS and the Jacksonville Housing Authority.
Young people can build skills in construction and maintenance, healthcare, information technology and manufacturing. Also, to ensure students are fully prepared for the workplace, the center integrates core academic and employability tutoring alongside technical trades. Students can study to attain a high school diploma, and JJCC covers the opportunity to take college courses toward a degree while continuing to live on campus.
The center also provides residential services, covering primary living expenses so students can focus entirely on their education and training. These services include housing, meals, supplies and clothing, with a wellness center available to provide basic medical, dental, vision, and mental health care right on campus.
Finally, JJCC helps students prepare to enter the workforce, working with CareerSource NEFL to provide job placement services and counseling.