Latest news with #JobCorpsTransparencyReport
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Job Corps centers' operations to pause by end of month nationwide
The U.S. Department of Labor has announced a phased pause in operations at Job Corps centers nationwide. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The Labor Department made the announcement Thursday, according to a media release. The decision was made in compliance with President Trump's 2026 budget proposal and the Administration's 'commitment to ensure federal workforce investments deliver meaningful results for both students and taxpayers.' The pause of all contractor-operated Job Corps centers will occur by June 30. State and local workforce partners are working with the labor department to help current students continue their training with other education and employment opportunities, according to the release. TRENDING STORIES: Delta to discontinue longtime non-stop route from Dayton; New flight to replace Man flies off motorcycle after hitting alligator on highway Escaped zebra remains at large after 'wreaking havoc' on busy interstate According to the release, the program operated at a $140 million deficit in 2024, and the Biden administration paused center operations to complete the program year. The deficit is projected to reach $213 million in 2025. In the release, the U.S. Department of Labor cited the first-ever Job Corps Transparency Report, which was released in April. The summarized findings are as listed in the release: Average Graduation Rate (WIOA Definition): 38.6% Average Cost Per Student Per Year: $80,284.65 Average Total Cost Per Graduate (WIOA Definition): $155,600.74 Post separation, participants earn $16,695 annually on average. The total number of Serious Incident Reports for program year 2023: 14,913 infractions. Inappropriate Sexual Behavior and Sexual Assaults Reported: 372 Acts of Violence Reported: 1,764 Breaches of Safety or Security: 1,167 Reported Drug Use: 2,702 Total Hospital Visits: 1,808 '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,' U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chaves-DeRemer said. News Center 7 reached out to the Dayton and Cincinnati Job Corps Centers to find out when their exact dates of closure were. Dayton Job Corps Center has not given a statement at this time. The News Center 7 team could not get through to speak to a representative when calling the Cincinnati Job Corps Center. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
3 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.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
With federal cut, Hubert H. Humphrey Job Corps to close after 44 years
Eager to give a young person a shot at his profession and bring in some badly-needed talent, Dave Abbott reached out last year to the Hubert H. Humphrey Job Corps Center in St. Paul in hopes of launching a 'work-based learning' internship program. As a lead carpenter for a group of remodeling contractors, Abbott figured his company could help train three or four young corps members per year, and hopefully hire some on. A year of planning followed. The first recruit recently 'did two weeks with us, helped frame a garage up, and she absolutely crushed it,' said Abbott, a vice president with Terra Firma, a St. Paul-based contracting cooperative. 'She was great.' Then came word last week that the U.S. Department of Labor, citing ballooning costs and mixed outcomes, had pulled funding for more than Job Corps centers across the country. As a result, the Hubert H. Humphrey Job Corps Center — which has operated from the former Bethel College campus across from the State Fairgrounds on Snelling Avenue since 1981 — will close on Tuesday, letting go all staff and releasing more than 170 young people, some of whom literally called the center home. 'I'm so upset about this, I can't even tell you,' said Kaila Broad, business engagement specialist with the St. Paul site, on Monday. 'Haven't slept, haven't eaten.' St. Paul's Job Corps Center, which offered up to 250 young people ages 16 to 24 workforce training in any one of eight career paths as they worked toward their GED and vocational certificates, also provided free housing for many low-income recruits who had landed there through diversion programs or were enrolled by their families. Some members had previously been homeless. As that housing dries up, it's unclear where they'll land. The sudden decision to pull funding has drawn bi-partisan pushback in Congress, given the program's long history in putting young people to work. The Job Corps centers were launched as part of President Lyndon Johnson's 'great society' and 'war on poverty' efforts in 1964, and many a young person has obtained a medical assistant certificate or entered the construction trades while receiving free room and board. 'We had just added a Certified Nursing Assistant certification through St. Paul College,' Broad said. In announcing cuts to workforce training programs last Thursday, U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-Deremer said the Job Corps centers had proven too costly to operate and fallen short of intended outcomes. In 2024, the program operated at a $140 million deficit nationally, requiring the Biden administration to implement a pause in center operations to complete the year. The deficit this year is projected to reach $213 million, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Labor. Nationally, about 39% of enrollees graduate, according to what the department described as the first-ever 'Job Corps Transparency Report,' released April 25, which analyzed metrics from 2023. Some critics of the report have said pre-pandemic graduation rates were notably higher. The National Job Corps Association maintains that historically, graduation rates were closer to 60%. A previous study of graduation rates, earnings and other metrics was published in sections from 1998 through 2001, though it was unavailable Monday morning from the U.S. Department of Labor website. Citing the most recent report, the Labor Department said earnings for recent Job Corps graduates average about $16,000. The National Job Corps Association has also disputed those numbers, claiming earnings are closer to $31,000. Also troubling, according to the secretary, were nearly 15,000 'serious incident reports,' chronicling everything from sex assaults and other acts of violence to drug use and hospitalizations. The National Job Corps Association has said those reports include power outages, athletic injuries and adults leaving campus without authorization. The secretary said a 'phased pause in operations' is to take place by June 30, but the closures are rolling out in St. Paul and other locations virtually overnight. In response, U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, a Wisconsin Democrat and ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health, and Human Services, issued a statement last week saying the loss of Job Corps will exacerbate her state's workforce shortage, hurting the economy while locking students out of good-paying jobs. 'Congress appropriated funding for Job Corps, and the Trump Administration can't just decide to not spend it because they want to make room for tax cuts for billionaires,' Baldwin wrote. 'At a time when Wisconsin businesses are demanding more skilled workers, the Trump Administration is cutting vital resources that put Wisconsinites on a fast-track to good-paying jobs in nursing, manufacturing, and the trades. Gutting Job Corps is a step in the wrong direction.' The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service operates more than 20% of the centers on federal land, steering recruits toward forestry work. Abbott said he sees the loss of federal funding as short-sighted decision-making from on high. Construction trades are notoriously understaffed and desperate for labor, which raises prices for clients. Creating a pipeline of young talent would be a boon to workers, contractors and property owners alike, he said. Many of the young people he interviewed sounded like ideal recruits for internships. 'I was hoping to have it be a long-term tradition, that we could just (work with) three or four every year,' said Abbott on Sunday. 'Usually, it's pretty busy in the summer, and there's good work for pre-apprentice level carpenters.' Lynx turn up defense in second half, improve to 7-0 A wild stretch leads to Loons' first win in Seattle Here are five ways to celebrate Pride month, from Pee-wee Herman to F1rst Wrestling St. Paul family nonprofit seeks to break the stigma of addiction in the Hmong community The Woddle: A techy diaper-changing pad with a touchscreen and AI
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Job Corps centers, including one in Central Texas, pausing operations
The Brief Job Corps centers will be pausing operations by the end of June One has operated in Central Texas for decades Dept. of Labor says the decision follows an internal review of the program HAYS COUNTY, Texas - The U.S. Department of Labor has announced it is pausing operations at Job Corps centers nationwide, including one that's operated in Central Texas for decades. What we know On May 29, the US Department of Labor announced it would be starting a "phased pause" in operations at 99 contractor-operated Job Corps centers nationwide. The department says that the decision followed an "internal review of the program's outcome and structure and will be carried out in accordance with available funding, the statutory framework established under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act and congressional notification requirements." The pause is expected to happen by June 30. DOL says that it is collaborating with state and local workforce partners to help current students advance their training and connect them with education and employment opportunities. Center operations are now implementing transition plans to get students home and funding will then be used to pause operations, including managing facilities and maintaining student records. "The department's decision aligns with the President's FY 2026 budget proposal and reflects the Administration's commitment to ensure federal workforce investments deliver meaningful results for both students and taxpayers," says DOL. By the numbers DOL says that this program has faced "significant financial challenges" under its current operating structure and has been in a "financial crisis" for years. In PY 2024, the program operated at a $140 million deficit, requiring the Biden administration to implement a pause in center operations to complete the program year. The deficit is projected to reach $213 million in PY 2025, says DOL. The recent Job Corps Transparency Report, which is based on an analysis of internal data from PY 2023, says that the highest graduation rate among all the centers was 65.4% and the average cost per student per year is just over $80,000 and the average cost per graduate is about $155,000. Dig deeper Job Corps is the largest free residential education and job training program for young adults aged 16-24. According to the DOL website, Job Corps has trained and educated over two million people since 1964. The program helps eligible young adults complete their high school education and career training, as well as obtain employment. Graduates go on to the workforce, apprenticeships, higher education or the military. Students can earn a high school diploma or equivalent, and college credits and get tuition-free housing, meals, basic healthcare, a living allowance, and career transition assistance. Job Corps also offers training in 10 high-growth industry sectors: Advanced Manufacturing Automotive and Machine Repair Construction Finance and Business Healthcare Homeland Security Hospitality Information Technology Renewable Resources and Energy Transportation There are 99 centers spread across six regions of the US, and four centers are based in Texas: David L. Carrasco (El Paso area), Laredo, Gary (Central Texas), and North Texas (Dallas area). Local perspective Gary, one of the four centers in Texas, has been in operation since 1965, says Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra. The campus sits near the San Marcos Regional Airport on SH 21 and is "long known as the largest of its kind in the country," says Becerra. The facility is operated by Equus Workforce Solutions, based out of Kentucky. The Source Information in this report comes from Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra and the US Department of Labor.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
‘Pause' of David L. Carrasco Job Corps center shocks alumni, trades professionals
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Alumni from David L. Carrasco Job Corps Center, and leaders in trades education here in El Paso said the potential discontinuation of the U.S. Job Corps program could be devastating to the Borderland. It could be especially harmful for low-income teenagers and young adults who are eligible for the free residential program, they said. 'It's not only a loss to the young people. It's a loss for all of the community. We're losing something very, very important. This program has given the opportunity to thousands of students to better themselves. Because for a lot of us, it was either our first chance or last chance. You have a lot of students coming from broken homes that didn't have anywhere else to go, who never really got a first chance at life.' said David Cantu, a Job Corps alumni from the Carrasco center. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced on Thursday afternoon, May 29, that it will begin a phased 'pause' of contractor-operated Job Corps centers nationwide. This pause will go into effect on June 30. That will include the David L. Carrasco Job Corps Center here in El Paso. Department of Labor announces pause of Job Corps centers nationwide in June Generations of welders, H-VAC, technicians, auto and diesel mechanics, and other professionals in the trades fields here in El Paso began their technical skills training and education at the Carrasco Job Corps center. The Carrasco Job Corps campus opened in 1970, and has been located at 11155 Gateway West. The program was available at no cost to young people between the ages of 16 through 24. Students are required to live on campus through the duration of their education in order to best serve their needs. Cantu graduated from the Job Corps in 2010 after having migrated from Mexico. After graduating, he served in the U.S Navy until 2016. He has since obtained a bachelor's degree from the University of Texas at El Paso, a master's degree from Baylor University, and will soon begin medical school at the Texas Tech Health Sciences Center. 'It's a program that's been working. We became taxpayers and every penny the Job Corps spent on me, I paid back., I don't know how many times back,' said Juan Sanchez, a Job Corps alumni and retired employee from the Carrasco center. 'I came from Mexico. I didn't know how to speak English. I always tell people, 'I talk with an accent, but you know what? Thanks to the Job Corps, I became a taxpayer.' I think it was the Job Corps' goal for people to become taxpayers, for people who didn't have a chance to finish high school or job training,' Sanchez added. The U.S. Departmetn of Labor justified the move by citing an internal review conducted of the program nationwide from fiscal year 2023-2024, which aims to demonstrate that the program is no longer achieving its goal. The report titled the 'Job Corps Transparency Report,' cites severe financial shortfalls and increasing costs in program operations, as well as poor student performance as some of the most alarming reasons for halting operations. The National Job Corps Association (NJCA), however, said the data presented by the DOL lacks context and is 'misleading.' The NJCA is a professional trade assocation that advocates for the Job Corps. The group also produced its own data. It shows that the program has not seen increased funding since 2018, if inflation is taken into account. As for poor student performance, they said graduation rates and student enrollment decreased in that time frame due to Covid-19 policies, much like other schools and colleges. The NJCA said its graduation rates have historically been above 60%, and that they continue to produce graduates that exceed the wage goals set by the DOL. Leaders in the trades field in El Paso warn that the demand for trade-skilled workers is only growing. 'We're losing the ability to spark that interest in them, and the ability to get them started. Because when they learn what welding is and go through that option and they see what the industry can do for them, then they come to us and learn that advanced training. I mean, it's a perfect getaway,' said Scott Herndon, CEO of the Sun City Welding Academy. 'We are not able to graduate students fast enough in this region. We are working closely with an industry leader who is looking for 80 to 100 welders for upcoming projects.' 'They were working with low-income families, and they were also working with a very young age group of students. And, it was just so important to introduce students that don't necessarily have those resources,' said Mary Cano, chief operating officer for Western Technical College. 'This is very heartbreaking. There's just no other way to describe it. It's just so heartbreaking. There is a dire need for this kind of training in our community.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
