(WBRE/WYOU)— The U.S Department of Labor announced Thursday it is going to begin a "phased pause in operations at contractor-operated Job Corps centers nationwide."
The pause of all operations at Job Corps centers will occur by June 30.
The closing of these centers are due to an internal review of the program’s outcome and structure and will be carried out in accordance with available funding.
The department will be collaborating with state and local workforces to help students with advancing their expertise and connecting them with education and employment opportunities.
“Job Corps was created to help young adults build a pathway to a better life through education, training, and community,” said Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer. “However, a startling number of serious incident reports and our in-depth fiscal analysis reveal the program is no longer achieving the intended outcomes that students deserve. We remain committed to ensuring all participants are supported through this transition and connected with the resources they need to succeed as we evaluate the program’s possibilities.”
The Job Corps has also been operated under a $140 million deficit in 2024 requiring the Biden administration to implement a pause in center operations to complete the program year, and the deficit is projected to $213 million in 2025.
The Job Corps Transparency Report showed that the average graduation rate of people in the Job Corps was at 38.6%, cost them an average of $80,284.65, and an average of 155,600.74.
There were also more than 14,000 "Serious Incident Reports" in 2023, which include instances of Sexual Assault, Acts of Violence, and Reported Drug Use among other.
