Career Skills & Trades Vocational Program at J Bar J Boys Ranch

At J Bar J Boys Ranch, we believe every young person deserves the opportunity to build a future they can be proud of. Our Career Skills & Trades Vocational Program helps adjudicated youth discover their strengths through hands-on learning, earn school credit, and gain real-world experience that prepares them for success beyond our doors.

What Our Youth Learn

● Construction & Woodworking
Learn how to safely use tools to build your own projects—like shelves, pens, jewelry boxes, and more. Gain foundational skills in framing, tiling, roofing, blueprint reading, and general carpentry.

● Electrical & Plumbing
Fundamentals Get hands-on with electrical systems and plumbing basics. Explore how circuits work, how electricity powers our world, and how plumbing systems function in homes and buildings.

● Garden & Greenhouse Skills
Work outdoors and in the greenhouse to learn the basics of planting, growing, and maintaining fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Youth build responsibility, develop healthy routines, and gain an appreciation for sustainability and food systems through hands-on gardening experiences.

● Trades Exploration with Paxton Patterson Modules
Use interactive, student-paced modules to explore careers in construction, engineering technologies, and skilled trades. These modules bring learning to life with simulations and real-world challenges.

Why It Matters

The youth at J Bar J Boys Ranch arrive with untapped potential and often significant academic gaps. Our academic program helps close that gap—often by two or more grade levels—while the vocational program offers the next step: a clear, hands-on path to a meaningful future.

Our vocational training is about more than just learning a trade. It fosters:

● Confidence through tangible, skill-based accomplishments

● Resilience by introducing students to achievable, rewarding work

● Possibility by connecting them to mentors, local professionals, and future job opportunities

Courses Offered

After students complete the foundational hand tool and power tool modules, they can move on to explore over 24 trade-focused classes offered through our program, including:

● Framing, Roofing, Tiling/Masonry

● Plumbing, Electrical Systems, Blueprint Reading

● Carpentry, and General Construction Skills

We also offer a rotating selection of specialized vocational courses on campus, taught by instructors from Central Oregon Community College (COCC). These courses—such as welding, small engine repair, and other in-demand trade skills—are tailored to student interests and scheduled based on instructor availability

Where It Happens

The vocational program is housed in a dedicated shop and classroom facility on the J Bar J Boys Ranch campus. This space was built specifically for hands-on learning and is located alongside the accredited alternative school and residential program.

The Impact

Students who participate in vocational programs are more likely to graduate from high school, pursue further training, find steady employment, and earn higher wages. For the youth at J Bar J Boys Ranch, these programs can be life-changing—reducing recidivism, building personal responsibility, and opening doors that once seemed closed.

How It All Came Together

Thanks to the generous support of the Central Oregon community and key partners like Don Smith, our vocational facility was completed in December 2019 and continues to thrive.

Construction & Equipment Cost: $499,030
Opened: December 4, 2019
Status: Fully Operational

Real Skills. Real Confidence. Real Future.

Whether building a shelf, wiring a circuit, or learning a trade from a local expert, students gain much more than credit—they gain a sense of direction, purpose, and possibility.