The Department of Labor has announced measures aimed at ensuring the long-term sustainability of the Job Corps program. The department will engage in negotiations with contractors managing non-federal Job Corps Centers to achieve cost savings while minimizing the impact on student services. Additionally, operations at two centers, Woodstock Job Corps Center in Maryland and Whitney M. Young Jr. Job Corps Center in Kentucky, will be temporarily paused.
Students from these centers will be transferred to nearby locations to continue their training. Support will also be provided for staff potentially affected by these changes.
John E. Hall, Job Corps Administrator, stated: “The Department of Labor is committed to ensuring the long-term success and stability of Job Corps, which has operated for years in the face of increasing costs.” He further explained that despite previous strategies to cut costs, additional actions are necessary to maintain the program's viability.
Established in 1964, the Job Corps Program offers residential job training and has served over three million youth and young adults nationwide. As part of its "Job Corps 2.0" initiative under the Biden-Harris administration, efforts have been made to enhance job training and student experiences.
José Javier Rodríguez, Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training, noted: “The Job Corps Program recently celebrated 60 years of transformation in the lives of youth and young adults.” He emphasized that recent actions are designed to prepare Job Corps for future challenges.
In upcoming weeks, teams from the Employment and Training Administration will meet with partners and operators as part of efforts to minimize impacts on students, staff, and communities involved with these centers.
