30.

Observation: One should not conclude from this that the desire for centers closer to home would necessarily bring greater satisfaction to these dropouts had they been in centers closer to home. While 44 percent of those who felt the centers were too far away would prefer a closer center, an equal number (43%) of those who felt the centers were too close would prefer one further away. The balance favoring closer centers results from the fact that four times as many dropouts feel they went to a center far away as feel they went to one close to home. If the proportions between the two groups were equal (instead of 4 to 1) the overall results would be 36 percent in favor of closer centers and 35 percent in favor of centers further away, hardly a definitive margin.

For a majority of the youth, the trip to the center was the first time they had been that far away from home for more than a few days:

32.

In terms of distance from home the Job Corps was a new experience more for women than men, more for Negroes than whites, and more for the younger than the older dropouts. Among the graduates 53% said the Job Corps was the first time zway from home.

Observation: If the new experience of being such a distance from home was a significant
factor in the drop out problem one would expect to find more than a six point difference
between the Corpsmen who graduated and those who dropped ou*. Also one would
expect to find more of those in for the shortest time away from home for the first time.
But just the reverse is true. It must be concluded that being away from home for the
first time is not an important factor in the drop out problem.

Length of Time In Job Corps

The drop outs stayed in the Job Corps less than half as long as the graduates:

Negroes stayed somewhat longer than whites, women longer than men, and those in urbar.

camps longer than those in Conservation camps.

Adds to more than 100% as some respondents gave more than one answer.

The older the dropouts the greater the chance that they were sending money home, particularly

to their mothers. Those who stayed in the Job Corps 3 months or more were much more likely to

provide some money for the family than those who were in for less than three months. Job Training In Center

The following table presents the job classifications this group was being trained for while

in the Job Corps:

*Figures add to more than 100 percent as some respondents gave more than one answer.

Women, significantly more than men, were being trained for technical, clerical and service jobs. One third of the men were being trained for machine trade occupations. Rural oriented jobs (farming, fishing, forestry) were being taught to almost one quarter of the men at the Conservation center. Sixteen per cent did not know what they were being trained for or had not received any training at the time they left, (twice as many in Conservation centers as in urban centers).

Each was asked whether or not the job training was helpful and then why: