In 1995, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Job Corps program faced a problem in the Southeast: how to recruit more age- and income-appropriate students to the program’s education and job training centers. At that time, Job Corps’ Southeast Region centers had the lowest census of any Job Corps region in the country. MP&F was hired to help turn things around.

MP&F began with research, specifically focus groups of Job Corps’ target audience, which are people between the ages of 16 and 24 who come from less affluent backgrounds. The questions we asked helped Job Corps hone in on that aspect of the program that truly captured the imagination of its core constituents. From that research, MP&F developed a simple slogan – Success Lasts a Lifetime – and began to develop a branding campaign that ultimately spread nationwide.

MP&F has expanded its relationship with Job Corps and now manages the national marketing contract for 123 centers, as well as the national media recruitment campaign. Our recruitment spots feature real students and encourage eligible young people to pick up the phone and call (800) 733-JOBS for enrollment information. Since 2000, more than 2 million people have called the toll-free number.