Latest news with #JobCorpsCenters
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
New York judge halts Job Corps closings; 100 Milwaukee staffers spared for now
After thinking they were going to get laid off, staff members at the Milwaukee Job Corps Center might still have jobs after all, even though the U.S. Department of Labor announced it was cancelling contractor-operated centers. On June 4, U.S. District Judge Andrew Carter Jr. granted a temporary restraining order halting the Labor Department and Secretary Lori Chavez-Deremer from closing the facilities without congressional approval. The Job Corps center in Milwaukee, 6665 N. 60th St., is operated by Horizons Youth Services based in Virginia; it has about 100 staffers that could be affected by any changes. 'We were pleased and excited with the court's decision to grant the Temporary Restraining Order and that the closure of Job Corps Centers has been stopped," Nolyn Fueller, president of Horizons, said in a statement. "The students that we serve deserve and need the opportunities that Job Corps provides. I hope that the facts and figures contained in the Transparency Report are further reviewed and more accurate statistics are shared regarding the success and safety of Job Corps campuses. Job Corps positively changes lives.' On May 29, the Labor Department announced it was closing contractor-operated centers due to low graduation rates, high costs and safety issues. 'Job Corps was created to help young adults build a pathway to a better life through education, training, and community,' Chavez-DeRemer said in a statement at the time. '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.' Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisconsin, has been a strong supporter of the Jobs Corps program and sent a letter to Chavez-Deremer on June 3 urging that the decision be reversed. After the court's June 4 ruling, Baldwin issued a statement: 'Gutting a program that is a proven way to connect Wisconsinites with careers and helps businesses and the trades get the skilled workers they need is a huge mistake. While students and employers are both left in the lurch about whether the training, housing, and support they were promised will continue, President Trump could stop this chaos if he just ended this crusade to make room in his budget for big corporate tax cuts, and instead prioritized Wisconsin working families and businesses.' The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reached out to the Labor Department but has not received any comment. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: New York judge halts Job Corps closings affecting 100 Milwaukee staff
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Shorter College helps displaced Job Corps students
NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -Across the country, Job Corps Centers have begun stopping operations that offer education and job training. Multiple students in North Little Rock say they have renewed hope thanks to a college opening its doors. The U.S. Department of Labor announced its plans to pause Job Corps Center operations nationwide by June 30. So far, the Little Rock Job Corps Center has already closed. Job Corps closing hits home with Little Rock families Nationally, the program became part of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964. It offers free residential education and job training for people with low incomes between ages of 16 and 24. Officials say the number of serious incident reports and financial challenges are reasons for the pause. Samantha Reyes was a part of the Job Corps program and said she was hurt when she found out it would be closing. 'It was like the rug was just pulled from under me,' Reyes said. 'Coming into Job Corps, it was like this is a place that I got to get out of my comfort zone and do something with my life.' Tyand Freeman said the announcement left him afraid for the future. 'It really hurt me because I'm from Alabama, I'm not from Arkansas, so it's like I didn't have nowhere to go,' Freeman said. But not all hope was lost, as they had the opportunity to become students at Shorter College in North Little Rock after it opened its doors to those students displaced. 'It started with a small group of 5. Now we're up to about 18 to 20 students,' Shorter College president Jeffery Norfleet said. He says it was important that they were able to allow them to enroll so they could continue their academic life. 'We are able to have financial aid and we want to see them to the finish line with a degree,' Norfleet said. Career counselor at Little Rock Job Corps says federal pause on operations nationwide leaves students with nowhere to go Norfleet said the enrollment offers them a dorm room they can sleep in, food assistance and a list of other resources. 'I am beyond grateful. I don't know what could have happened if I didn't have this,' Reyes said. Norfleet said he is grateful for the community support, as many people have been dropping off donations. The opportunity means the world to Freeman, who is looking to be a certified nursing assistant. Giving many hope that their future dreams can come true, like Brieze Bunk, who was also impacted. 'One of my career goals is to own a bakery,' Bunk said. Reyes is aiming for a degree in education, but is grateful to have what's essential. 'Coming here and knowing we had something to eat, a place to sleep, it's been beyond words,' she said. Labor Department suspends Job Corps centers operations, drawing bipartisan pushback Norfleet said if anyone would like to donate, they can drop off food, bedding or anything that can help the students with their academics. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Little Rock shelters see an uptick amid Job Corps pause
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The national pause on Job Corps Centers came earlier than June 30th, leaving some students who lived on the Little Rock campus with no place to go. William Holloway, director of The Compassion Center, says it feels like a rug has been pulled out from under many youths at a bad time. 'There was a large number of people that used that facility, and they counted on it,' Holloway said. Job Corps closing hits home with Little Rock families He says the center has also been seeing an increase in youth since the Job Corps closed. 'Well, we're seeing a lot of people around 18 years of age coming in and we're seeing maybe 10 to 15 extra people that we had not normally seen,' Holloway said. Holloway says he's always happy to lend a helping hand, but is saddened to see so many youths at once. 'It's bad enough when your family abandons you, but when your education abandons you also, you've got a problem,' Holloway said. The U.S Department of Labor released the Job Corps Transparency Report in April, which found that throughout the Job Corps, a 38.6% graduation rate nationally, along with high numbers in violence, drug use, and sexual assaults. The compassion center has been working to fill in the gap left by the pause with jobs, but outside of the resources the center provides, Holloway says he has a bigger concern. 'What worries me is some of them are only 18 to 19 years old,' Holloway said. 'Where are they going to end up in the next 4 to 5 years?' Labor Department suspends Job Corps centers operations, drawing bipartisan pushback The U.S Department of Labor said they are working with state and local workforce partners to assist current students in advancing their training and connecting them with education and employment opportunities. The reason for the early pause still hasn't been said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
