The United States Department of Labor announced it will close Job Corps nationwide by the end of June. The DOL said it's closing all facilities due to serious financial challenges.
Job Corps was established in 1964 by President Lyndon B. Johnson as part of his "War on Poverty" initiative. It aims to assist low-income youth aged 16 to 24 by providing them with education and vocational training. Additionally, Job Corps offers meals, housing, and various amenities to its participants.
Justin Davis, a staff member at the Job Corps location in Dennison, Iowa, shared a heartfelt message on Facebook about the impact of the center's closure. He stated, "With all the emotion in my heart, I need to say this...Telling over 200 students — young people who have entrusted us with their futures — that all Job Corps across the nation are closing as of June 30th is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. Watching their faces shift from confusion to fear... seeing tears well up in their eyes... hearing the unspoken question, "Where do I go now?" — it hurts in a way I can't put into words.
Some of these students don't have homes to return to. If they do, their home lives are anything but safe or stable. For many, this place — this community, this structure, this second chance — was home and now, it's being taken from them. It breaks me."
Davis continued, "This isn't just about a job ending. This is a life — a purpose — being ripped away. Angie and I started here. We grew here. We gave everything — our hearts, our souls, every ounce of energy — to build something that mattered. This place is all we've ever known and just like that, it's gone. Now, we face the unimaginable: no job, no income, and three children who depend on us. It feels unreal. Like a bad dream we can't wake up from. But what's hardest of all is knowing that the ones who will suffer most... are the ones who needed this place the most and we have no answers. Only grief."
Thousands of Facebook users shared Davis' post, which garnered thousands of shares and reactions, and hundreds of comments. One Facebook user remarked "This is just unbelievable and heartbreaking. So many lives were changed because of Job Corps. Terrible."
Another FB user, Vicki Lyman, wrote, "I love my job at Job Corps! It's so sad to see the students so scared and crying. We are all family, and it breaks my heart." Julie Graeve wrote, "This. Is. AWFUL!!! On so many levels! So many young adults have walked onto that center and had their lives COMPLETELY transformed! Having helped out as the NP in the Wellness Center for 13 years-I met some amazing young people and was happy to help them and learned from them as well..." Muddy Plant wrote, "This is extremely sad. I can't believe people voted for this."
There are 123 Job Corps centers across the country. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, approximately 38.6% of Job Corps graduates find employment within six months of completing the program, as reported in April.
According to Fox News, Currently, there are approximately fewer than 25,000 students enrolled in the Job Corps program, and participants' safety is "often at risk." Fox also reported that officials said there were 14,913 serious incident reports filed in 2023.
In 2023, FN reported the following incidents: 373 cases of inappropriate sexual behavior and sexual assaults; 1,764 acts of violence; 1,167 breaches of safety or security; 2,702 instances of drug use; and 1,808 hospital visits by students.
A Department of Labor official told Fox News Digital "The program has been in a financial crisis for years, creating constant uncertainty for participants and administrators."
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