New Mexico Job ChalleNGe Academy

A Program for Success

The New Mexico Job ChalleNGe Academy (NMJCA) is a program that provides additional training, career, and technical skills for graduates of the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program (NGYCP).

New Mexico Job ChalleNGe Academy (NMJCA) formally signed its agreement to become the seventh Job ChalleNGe Academy in the United States in August 2022. The program is housed under the Department of Military Affairs (DMA) as a program of the National Guard (hence, the NG in ChalleNGe). Major General Miguel Aguilar, the Adjutant General New Mexico National Guard, has been a supporter of Youth ChalleNGe Academy as Deputy Adjutant General and worked with the National Guard Bureau to bring this important program to New Mexico.

“Job Challenge is the newest opportunity for additional job training for interested graduates from New Mexico Youth ChalleNGe Academy,” said Aguilar. “Candidates accepted for this opportunity will attend an additional residential phase (up to five months) in Albuquerque where they will pursue in-demand job certifications, offering them opportunities they otherwise might not have. The addition of Job ChalleNGe is one more way the National Guard can help young people meet future workforce requirements that our state employers desperately need.”

To provide an up to 20-week residential program for about 50 associates a cycle (two a year), the Department of Military Affairs (DMA) met with Expo New Mexico leadership to develop a partnership in which NMJCA renovates part of the 4H/ FFA barracks, kitchen, and great hall for its use. Dan Mourning, General Manager of Expo New Mexico said,

"We jumped at the chance to partner with the New Mexico National Guard to expand access for local youth to this important, transformative program. At EXPO New Mexico, we believe that our mission logically extends to include fostering and facilitating opportunities for kids to improve their situation and enhance their quality of life. The education and skills training that will take place at the future site of the Job ChalleNGe at EXPO New Mexico will result in life-changing opportunities for thousands more New Mexico kids with positive implications for families and communities."

Mission

New Mexico Job ChalleNGe Academy, provides Youth ChalleNGe Academy graduates with continuing education and career technical training leading to college credits and an industry-recognized certificate, while modeling and developing fundamental career and life skills.

How is this accomplished:

Providing a structured, distraction-free environment
Providing expectaions and enforcing standards with consistency
Instilling the Eight Core Components outlined by the National Guard Bureau
Providing tuition-free pathways to certifications through UA Local 412 and CNM
Providing Post-Residential Phase support and mentorship

Vision

The New Mexico Job ChalleNGe Academy will endeavor to be a community centric, vocational career and work experience program for 17- to 20-year-old Youth ChalleNGe Academy graduates. This will allow them to earn an industry recognized certification and learn transferable skills helping them excel in the workplace and life.

Our Core Values

The New Mexico Job ChalleNGe Academy will advance the values of Youth ChalleNGe with a focus on developing self-management, individual initiative, and motivation. As a result, we believe our program should simultaneously model and teach the following values:

Collaborative Partnerships

We value partnerships with educational systems, business and industry, labor, government, and our communities.

Integrity

We value responsible, ethical behavior in an environment of honest, open communication. We do what we say we will do.

Effort

We value the dedication to motivate and challeNGe our Job ChalleNGe Associates to achieve the academic and personal excellence necessary to prepare them for successful careers.

Culture of Respect

We value a culture that fosters respect, encouragement, and understanding in a supportive and safe environment.

Accountability

We will hold ourselves and each other accountable for acknowledging and accomplishing our responsibilities.

Teamwork

We value working together to get things done, doing our fair share of the work, and setting an example of teamwork for our Job ChalleNGe Associates.

Service Learning

Through project management and collaborative planning, our Job ChalleNGe Associates lead service to community events where they seek to achieve real-life objectives, develop skills, and a deeper understanding of civic responsibility.