The Job Corps program was created in 1964 as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty.
Centers across the country offer 16 to 24-year-olds from low-income backgrounds training in certain workforce sectors.
While they go through the training, they’re provided housing, meals, and a living allowance.
The Department of Labor issued a statement saying it was starting the process to pause operations at 99 contractor-operated Job Corps centers.
“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 in a statement. “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 transition was supposed happen by June 30th, but a federal judge temporarily blocked the pause.
While those centers all fall under the Department of Labor, 24 centers are considered Civilian Conservation Centers and fall under the USDA.
Blackwell Job Corps Center in Laona is one of these.
It trains students on conservation skills, wildland fire training, and natural disaster response.
In a statement to WXPR, a USDA spokesperson said, “USDA is reviewing the program and will determine the status of our 24 centers soon. We continue to work closely with DOL and Congress to ensure USDA Job Corps facilities continue to prioritize the health and safety of program participants.”
In June 2019, the Trump Administration announced it was closing down the Blackwell Job Corps Center as well as eight other Civilian Conservation Centers.
The plan then was to close the nine centers and transfer the remaining ones to privately-held companies working for the Labor Department.
The decision was reversed nearly a month later after a bi-partisan push in Congress to keep them open.
