Officials from the District of Columbia, General Services Administration (GSA), and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) held a ceremonial opening of the Opportunities Center on December 18, 2009 at the St. Elizabeths West Campus, in Southeast, Washington, DC. This dedication ceremony of the Opportunities Center trailer highlighted the efforts at getting D.C. residents trained and prepared for the $3.4 billion development of the consolidation of the DHS headquarters on the Campus, and other projects in the region.

The Opportunities Center is part of a trailer complex built by Clark Construction Group that is accessed from Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue, at the Gate #2 entrance. This area is located between Anacostia and Congress Heights, in a commercially underdeveloped neighborhood that suffers disproportionately from unemployment.

The dedication ceremony was attended by more than 150 people, and opened with welcoming remarks from GSA's Acting Regional Administrator for the National Capital Region, Ms. Sharon Banks, who stated that the Opportunities Center represented the commitment from GSA, DHS, and the District of Columbia, and in particular Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton.

The keynote speaker was Congresswoman Norton who started her comments by acknowledging the officials in attendance, and singling out two key GSA representatives, Mr. Shapour Ebadi the Deputy Regional Commissioner, and Ms. Bonnie Echoles the Contracting Officer, as "the Man" and "the Woman" respectively for the project. Norton noted that the Opportunities Center will be used for training and community outreach activities helping residents prepare for jobs in D.C. and the region. She also noted that over the next six (6) years the federal government will be providing signature buildings right here at St. Elizabeths West Campus where 14,000 federal employees will be working, and that she had real partners in GSA, Clark, Community Services Agency (CSA), and Wider Opportunities for Women (WOW) to make the project a success. Norton emphasized the importance of jobs, and the efforts it took in convincing Congress that this is the project to help provide well needed jobs for this area and the region. Norton noted that an initial $1 billion dollars has already been appropriated, and this will be a boost to the development of Ward 8 along Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. Norton referred to the DHS Consolidation Headquarters project as the country's biggest construction project, and that "we are not going to build the biggest construction project in the United States, just to have D.C. residents as onlookers." Norton took the time to introduce four (4) invited apprentices and had one of them Mr. Bernard Johnson from Ward 7 on stage with her. Norton noted that the five years it is taking Bernard to train as an apprentice and become a full journeyman is longer than it took her to graduate from law school. However, the Opportunities Center is prepared to help DC residents compete and train for the jobs that will result from the $1 billion she secured to build the DHS complex, and from money she got for renovating 22 federal buildings, 16 of which are in the District. She emphasized the difficulty and hard work that is construction, and pointed out there are rewards for becoming a journeyman that Bernard and the other apprentices, along with a number of pre-apprentices in attendance can look forward to. She continued that working in construction is not easy, it may mean getting up at 4:30 AM like Bernard, and sometimes working in adverse weather conditions, but you have to put in the effort as these apprentices are prepared to do to reap the rewards. She also stated that "no one is going to give you a job or a contract because you know Norton or some other official, you have to compete for it."

Norton was followed by Councilman Marion Barry who praised Norton for her efforts in making this project a reality, and said this project will help the city. "We're going to deliver these jobs, and Ward 8 needs these jobs, Ward 7 needs these jobs," Barry said. Norton and Barry noted the city would succeed in getting many unemployed residents into construction work, and Barry said that in a couple of years, he wanted the scorecard for this project to have high marks.

Mr. James Bunn who is the Executive Director of the Ward 8 Business Council also spoke and praised both Norton and Barry for the work they have been doing to bring this project to Ward 8. Bunn noted that GSA stepped up to the plate and have been very inclusive of and responsive to the community's needs singling out Shapour, Bonnie, Ms. Terri Cooper, and Mr. Thomas James. He also mentioned the efforts of Ms. Mary Cuthbert from the Advisory Neighborhood Commission.

Mr. William Calhoun, Jr. an Executive Vice President spoke on behalf of Clark thanking all those who have done so much for so long to get this project to where it is today, and noting that it is rear that Clark is asked to participate in these types of festivities this early in the project. Calhoun specially thanked and recognized Congresswoman Norton for her tireless efforts and leadership in bringing this project to a reality. Calhoun also singled out Shapour and Bonnie ("the Man" and "the Woman") and their team who are very direct results oriented and demanding clients, and who have characterized Norton as heroic in her efforts to date. Calhoun also acknowledged Ms. Shirley Blair, Chairman of the National Association of Minority Contractors, for her organization's assistance with the arrangements and set-up for this special dedication ceremony.

Calhoun expressed his appreciation for Clark being a part of this project and in having a partnership with the community. He recognized that Clark's position as the contractor is an important part of the opportunities that the Opportunities Center represents. He noted this was a great demonstration on the part of the federal government through Congresswoman Norton's efforts in simplifying the process and providing this much needed service for employment opportunities for the residents of Ward 8 and the region.

Calhoun continued to say that Clark is aware of the focus placed on training pre-apprentices and their opportunity to participate as apprentices on this and other construction projects, noting that Clark will maximize the number of awards to subcontractors who have registered apprenticeship programs. Clark and their subcontractors will be using the database of available workers that is established at the Opportunities Center for employment opportunities. Clark will also be using the Opportunities Center for subcontractor procurement meetings and specialized opportunity fairs.

In closing, Calhoun expressed support for the government's proactive thinking in establishing this Opportunities Center and shared the enthusiasm that with all of us working together it will be a success. He stated that constructing the Coast Guard project is a great and welcomed opportunity for Clark, and that Clark accepts Barry's invitation to be good stewards to the residents of Ward 8, and will ensure our partnership with GSA and working relationships with leaders in the Ward will be a benefit to the community.

After the ceremonial speeches, there was the ribbon cutting event and a tour of the Opportunities Center where all expressed gleeful satisfaction with the layout and construction of the Center.

The Opportunities Center officially opened to the public on February1, 2010, and Clark held their first opportunities fair at the Center on February 4, 2010, specifically for the earthwork trade.

The following is a summary of the hires from the Opportunities Center.

Craft	Total	District Residents
Admin Assistant	1	1
Field Engineer	1	1
Laborers	32	31
Carpenters	15	15
Cement Masons	9	9
Totals	58	57

Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton.

NEW HIRES
Total	156
District Residents	101