Latest news with #LoriChavez-DeRemer
Yahoo
7 hours ago
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160 St. Paul students facing homelessness after federal government cuts Job Corps funding
160 St. Paul students facing homelessness after federal government cuts Job Corps funding originally appeared on Bring Me The News. The Trump administration's decision to pull funding from the Jobs Corps program will lead to the closure of the center in St. Paul that provides job training and housing for more than 160 young students. The U.S. Department of Labor announced on May 29 a "phased pause in operations" at Jobs Corps sites by June 30, with the government claiming that the training and housing program for Americans aged 16-24 was "longer achieving the intended outcomes that students deserve." But despite the claim of a "pause" in operations by June 30, the 162 residents and 100 staff at the Hubert H. Humphrey Jobs Corps Center have already been told the site is closing, and were initially given until Tuesday, June 3, to exit the premises. KARE 11 reports this has since been extended to June 12. "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," said Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer. The St. Paul facility has been open for 44 years and the wider Jobs Corps program has been operating since 1964, providing low-income Americans aged 16-24 with free vocational training and housing to help them obtain employment. In its announcement, the Trump administration cited a "transparency" report compiled by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) that stated the average graduation rate at Jobs Corps is 38.6% and the average cost per student per year is $80,264. It also raised concern about the number of "serious incident" reports filed among students enrolled in the program, which it says almost reached 15,000 in 2023. But the National Jobs Corps Association has criticized the figures, stating that "serious incidents" is a broad term that also includes "power outages and inclement weather, athletic injuries that require treatment, and adult students leaving campus without prior approval." It also shared video of a congressional hearing that revealed the cost-per-hire and per-graduate figures were taken "at the height of the COVID pandemic" when enrollment was down by more than a third due to restrictions on the number of students it could serve. Democratic Senator Jack Reed accused the government of cherry-picking data to support the program's cut. Per the Pioneer Press, there has also been criticism that the average graduation rate is misleading as its weighted down by students who leave within the first few weeks of enrolling, and those who leave the program because they have a job offer – the latter of which fulfills the aim of the program. The closure has been slammed by DFL lawmakers in the Twin Cities, with a joint statement from Senate Jobs and Economic Development Chair Bobby Joe Champion and Senate Housing Chair Senator Lindsey Port saying the decision "takes us in the wrong direction." They also criticized pulling the funding for low-income Americans while seeking to push through the extension of major tax cuts benefiting the wealthiest in President Donald Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill," which also includes significant cuts to Medicaid and SNAP. "The ripple effects from this decision will reverberate in their communities for decades. This is not only shortsighted, but it is also cruel, especially because these cuts are being made to pay for massive tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans," they said. "This closure is another example of President Trump overreaching executive authority: Congress appropriates funding for Job Corps, and he has no authority to unilaterally cut the program's funds," the statement added. This story was originally reported by Bring Me The News on Jun 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
Mint
18 hours ago
- Business
- Mint
Donald Trump govt faces ire over Job Corps centres' closure: Why 'lifeline for young people in need' is facing axe
The US government's decision to shut down multiple Job Corps centres across the country has triggered strong backlash from ordinary citizens and political figures, who argue the move will strip young Americans of essential career-building opportunities. Citing financial shortfalls and low graduation rates, the US Department of Labor (DOL) plans to close the operations at Job Corps centres nationwide by June 2025. The announcement faced a lot of criticism from not just the stranded students and their families but also US political figures. The US Congress submitted a letter to the Department of Labor, urging them to reverse the closure of the Job Corps immediately, as these programmes are economic engines that support hundreds of good-paying local jobs, keeping the country's communities thriving. US Senator Tim Kaine strongly opposed the decision on X (formerly Twitter), calling these programmes 'The lifeline of young people in need.' A number of X users called the move "disappointing' as Job Corps was a viable option for students from low-income families to learn the necessary skills required for employment in high-trade areas such as nursing and mechanical tech. The Department of Labor assured the affected people of having an orderly transition for students, staff, and local communities by collaborating with state and local partners to assist current students in advancing their training and connecting them with education and employment opportunities. However, the letter submitted to the department by US Congress highlights that the staff at the Job Corps have not received any guidance so far on supporting students and other relevant people to transition to continue their training. According to DOL Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, the Job Corps was created to provide education, training and community to young adults but the government's fiscal analysis and a startling number of serious incidents revealed that the programme is no longer achieving the intended outcomes that students deserve. The Job Corps programme was operating at a $140 million deficit, requiring the Biden administration to implement a pause in centres' operations to complete the programme year. The deficit is projected to reach $213 million in the year 2025, said a news release. Job Corps is a federally funded residential career training programme that has been around for more than 50 years. The programme's objective is to help low-income young people in the age group of 16 to 24 years finish high school and get jobs. Job Corps essentially provides room, board and skills training for up to three years, alongside other services, such as child care and transportation. The programme serves nearly 60,000 students each year, according to the federal data.
Yahoo
a day ago
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Feds pause operations at 3 Michigan Job Corps centers as part of nationwide move
This story has been updated with new information from the city of Detroit. The federal goverment began pausing operations late last week at dozens of Job Corps centers across the country, including three in Michigan. The "phased pause" by the U.S. Department of Labor started May 29 after an internal review of the program, according to a news release. Job Corps, a federally funded residential career training program that has been around for more than 50 years, helps low-income young people ages 16 to 24 years old finish high school and get jobs. The program provides room and board and skills training for up to three years, alongside other services, such as child care and transportation. More than 700 students were enrolled at three Michigan centers in the 2023 program year, according to federal data. Democratic lawmakers from Michigan pushed back against the move and called for a reversal of the decision. In a June 2 letter to U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer, U.S. Reps. Rashida Tlaib of Detroit; Hillary Scholten of Grand Rapids; Kristen McDonald Rivet of Bay City, and Shri Thanedar, also of Detroit, said the decision was made without advance notice to the centers, and left students and staff scrambling. "This abrupt disruption has destabilized our communities, which rely on these centers. We understand and share the Department's interest in improving cost-efficiency and long-term effectiveness. Indeed, there is much work to be done to enhance the services here," the Michigan delegation wrote. "But an unplanned and abrupt pause in all operations does not support these goals. Instead, it derails the lives of thousands of young people and dedicated staff committed to strengthening our country's workforce, at a time of great worker shortage across the state." Michigan has Job Corps centers in Detroit, Flint and Grand Rapids, according to a U.S. Department of Labor website. The Detroit and Flint location is operated by Tucson-based Serrato Corp. The Grand Rapids center is run by Atlanta-based Human Learning Systems LLC. The labor department stopped contracts at 99 contract-operated centers, according to an FAQ, leading to a "suspension of program operations." The pause in operations at all contractor-run centers is slated to occur by the end of June, the news release states. The move, the release said, aligns with President Donald Trump's 2026 budget proposal and his administration's "commitment to ensure federal workforce investments deliver meaningful results for both students and taxpayers." More: 7 questions for Michigan's chief growth officer as state population edges up More: Big impact of tariffs on small Michigan suppliers could mean a loss of thousands of jobs A Labor Department official confirmed that the three Michigan-based centers had paused operations. The Free Press reached out to the Michigan centers and operators for comment on Monday. "Center operators began implementing transition plans to mobilize students safely to their home of record and suspend program activities. Funds will be used to pause program operations, which includes managing facilities, maintaining student records,and ensuring students are connected with necessary employment and program resources," according to the FAQ posted on the U.S. Department of Labor website. Of 217 Job Corps participants in Detroit, 19 were referred to the city of Detroit and indicated needing a place to stay, Deputy Mayor Melia Howard said in a statement Monday. Of those participants, 12 found accommodations themselves or declined help. Six others were put in temporary shelter and the city is trying to make contact with one other person, she said. "Our workforce development and housing teams have been in close contact with the Job Corps office in Detroit since late last week when this issue arose. ... Job Corps youth participants are eligible for similar training though Detroit at Work and we are confident we will be able to provide training opportunities for those that have been displaced from Job Corps," Howard said. "Because we know the closure also affects Detroit job corps employees, we will be providing them with job placement support through Detroit at Work." About 25,000 students are enrolled in Job Corps nationwide. The labor department is working with state and local partners to help current students with their training and job opportunities, according to the news release. Students will get copies of their personal documents, can get connected to job opportunities by the labor department and they will get registered with their nearest American Job Center, a nationwide network of services for job seekers. According to the FAQ, the labor department "will arrange transportation and cover costs to transfer students back to their homes of record," by the end of June. Staff are employed by contractors, not the federal government. The labor department will provide staff information about employment services, job fairs and unemployment compensation. The program was paused because Job Corps has been in financial crisis, according to the federal government. A press release cited a $140 million deficit in 2024 and projected shortfall of $213 million for the 2025 program year. The U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration released a report in April on the Job Corp program's performance and cost. The average graduation rate was under 40% and the average cost for a student per year was roughly $80,000, according to the report. '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 news release. '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.' More than 4,500 students were homeless before joining Job Corps, according to a news release from the Washington, D.C.-based National Job Corps Association, which represents staff and students. The association published its own "transparency report context" on the government's report, which it called an "unsound analysis of the program based on incorrect and misleading information." 'Job Corps has transformed the lives of millions of Americans. ...This decision, based on a deeply flawed report, needlessly endangers the futures and the lives of thousands and potentially millions more young Americans," said Donna Hay, president and CEO of the National Job Corps Association, in the news release. The Job Corps program was created in 1964 to tackle youth unemployment. Concerns about the program's cost effectiveness have cropped up during various points of its history, according to a 2022 report from the Congressional Research Service. A 1993 study, regarded as the most rigorous, found short term benefits and immediate wage increases, but also said wage increases did not remain over time, except for those enrolled at 20 years old or older, the report says. At the Detroit Job Corps Center on May 30, students were left scrambling and dozens were reportedly lugging garbage bags full of belongings, according to Fox 2 Detroit. "The staff ... they broke the news to us and they had us go to the dorms, pack our stuff," a student told the TV station. Mariyah Louis graduated from Detroit Job Corps Center in 2017. She was in the foster care system and had a turbulent relationship with her mother and needed some guidance and assistance in life, she said. The Job Corps program provided stable housing, allowed her to focus and get her high school diploma, trade certificate, driver's license, health care and mental health resources. Because of Job Corps, she pursued higher education and now owns a car detailing business, she said. "It broke my heart," Louis, 27, said when she found out about the pause in operations. "I can relate to that feeling of not knowing what I'm gonna do next, especially being a young adolescent." In the last few days since the pause, she created a Facebook group for people affiliated with Detroit Job Corps to access resources and is raising $12,000 for toiletries, home goods and bus passes for students left displaced. "Job Corps was a safe haven," she said. Contact Nushrat Rahman: nrahman@ Follow her on X: @NushratR. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Feds pause operations at 3 Michigan Job Corps centers
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Closures leave Treasure Island Job Corps youth, staff scrambling
The Brief The Treasure Island Job Corps location will be closing next month. A staff member tells KTVU the Department of Labor is asking youth to be out of all facilities by next week. Staff tells KTVU some students will have no place to go. Students and staff members at the Treasure Island Job Corps facility say they are devastated by the plan to close all Job Corps locations by the end of June. This week, the United States Department of Labor announced plans to close all Job Corps facilities nationwide, citing significant financial challenges. Operations at all centers will be paused by June 30th, the Department said. However, staff on the ground at the Treasure Island location tell KTVU their students have been given an out date of June 6th, not June 30th. A staff member tells KTVU that the closure process has not been orderly, and they say rushing students out of the facilities could be harmful, as some have no place else to go. As they scramble to find places for the youth to go, the staff is also navigating the idea of being jobless in a very tough economy. "I think most of us are so focused on the trainee's safety that we have not even had time to process this for ourselves. Some people have worked here over 20 years, as this center has been open for 40," the staff member said. She says the staff and students are hurting and feel as though their community is being ripped away from them. "Job Corps was created to help young adults build a pathway to a better life through education, training, and community. 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." U.S. Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer What they're saying The Department announced that a Jobs Transparency Report analyzed activities in the program, and found that the high cost per student and low graduation rates no longer align with the President's goal of balancing the budget. The Department cited the following analysis in its closure announcement: 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 Sexual Behavior and Sexual Assaults Reported: 372Acts of Violence Reported: 1,764Breaches of Safety or Security: 1,167Reported Drug Use: 2,702Total Hospital Visits: 1,808 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 By the numbers Staff with Treasure Island Job Corps say the report cited by DOL was written by a DOGE employee, and the data laid out above was pulled from the height of the COVID pandemic, when enrollment in the Job Corps program was down to 34%. Students who headed straight to college or the military from the program were classified across the board as $0 wage earners in the report, which the Job Corps team says is not an accurate description. The staff member tells KTVU her students are more than just numbers. "People need to start thinking of our trainees not as a percentage, because they are real human beings with individual stories. Instead of saying, 'Only 38% graduate,' say the whole number. Because even if it was only 300 a year, that's 300 young adults not in jail, not in the streets, not deceased, they all count," she told KTVU.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Labor Department to shutter Job Corps centers, including two in Georgia
Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer stands behind President Donald Trump after he signs executive orders in the Oval Office on April 23, 2025. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and Secretary of Education Linda McMahon look on. (Photo by) Job Corps centers in Albany and Brunswick are set to shut their doors by June 30 after the U.S. Department of Labor announced plans to suspend operations at nearly 100 locations nationwide. The Job Corps program dates back to 1964 and was created as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson's 'War on Poverty.' The program, which claims to be 'the largest nationwide residential career training program in the country,' works by providing low-income students ages 16 to 24 with housing, education, career training and employment assistance, primarily in industries like manufacturing, construction and health care. However, the program encountered serious hurdles during the COVID-19 pandemic, and currently faces a $140 million budget deficit that Department of Labor officials estimate could grow to $213 million by next year. The federal agency cited a report from April highlighting metrics like the average annual cost per student, average total costs per graduate and total violent crime rates. 'Job Corps was created to help young adults build a pathway to a better life through education, training, and community,' U.S. Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer said 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.' In total, 99 centers that are run by contract agencies will be forced to close should the plan take effect. An additional 24 centers owned and operated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture will not be affected by the closures. Atlanta is home to the program's Region 3 office, overseeing centers across Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. The Department of Labor said it plans to arrange transportation back home for roughly 25,000 currently enrolled students, and to connect them with other educational and employment resources. It is unclear how many students across Georgia will be affected. Calls to the Atlanta-based Jobs Corps office were not answered and emails sent to two top officials received a bounce back message. Lawmakers in Congress were quick to push back against the sudden closures, citing a long history of bipartisan support for the program. 'The Job Corps program is the embodiment of a hand up and not a handout,' said U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop, an Albany Democrat who co-chairs the bipartisan Congressional Job Corps Caucus. 'It provides workforce skills and training that empower participants to become self-sufficient and productive citizens. Today's foolish action by the White House and the United States Department of Labor to close the Job Corps program will shatter the dreams and aspirations of tens of thousands of promising students.' Critics of the closures, including the National Job Corps Association, have also argued that the data used to compile the report is misleading, since it focuses solely on metrics from 2023, a year when the program was still struggling to recover from pandemic-era hurdles that lowered enrollment and graduation numbers. Notably, this is not the first time President Donald Trump's administration has targeted the Job Corps program for closures. Sonny Purdue, the former Georgia governor who later served as Agriculture Secretary in the first Trump Administration and is now the chancellor of the Georgia Board of Regents, also attempted to shutter nine Job Corps centers and transfer an additional 16 centers to private contractors back in 2019. However, he quickly dropped the bid after encountering fierce congressional pushback — including from then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
