Job Corps closure puts dozens of young adults at risk
As the Hubert Humphrey Job Corps Center in Saint Paul prepares to close its doors, dozens of young adults are facing an uncertain future. The closure leaves many without housing, education, or other skills needed to succeed in the workforce.
Last week, the announced that they would pause operations for Job Corps centers nationwide. Students and staff are expected to leave by June 30th.
The Department of Labor decision Also stating that the Job Corps program has faced
"People come to Job Corps because they have no other place to go, they have no other family to turn to," said Job Corps student, Christopher Walter.
Walter joined the program to get away from a parent that experienced a psychotic episode. He found himself a community, and a family at Job Corps.
"I'm actually crying behind my sunglasses right now," said Walter. "Job corp was essentially family, it's a home away from home."
Job Corps, the largest federal job training program for low-income youth, has been a lifeline for young people, offering a place to live, learn and prepare for careers. Now, with no alternative – the future for these young adults remains unclear.
"It makes me want to cry, it's just really hard," said Job Corps staff member Laura Nelson. "They were promised if they worked hard, did what they were supposed to do they'd get something out of it."
Finding job opportunities, outside resources and homes is all the staff at Job Corps can do for now.
"For every single center across the country you have a homeless population of around 25%," said Christopher Kuhn, Job Corps Executive Director Center of Operations and Support. "I don't know where they all will go and I don't know what services will be available for them."
While the closure has been met with shock and disappointment, local organizations like the Salvation Army's Booth Brown House, is stepping up to support. The Booth Brown House, a shelter for homeless young adults, is preparing for the surge of homeless youth displaced by the job corps closure.
"We do have capacity in our emergency shelter to take a handful and we have seen interest from those youth when the time comes," said Erin Foss, Program Director at the Booth Brown House.
Although disappointed at the closure, Foss remains hopeful. The Booth Brown House staff visited the Job Corps to discuss housing and job opportunities.
"We're going to do our best to keep encouraging and assist them in finding other resources so these youth continue to move forward and don't fall through the cracks," said Foss.
Pushing back, Christopher Kuhn, is urging the public to ensure that these young adults don't get forgotten.
"America needs skilled workers, let us help. That's what we do. Otherwise you'll have a whole generation of young people that'll be a burden on our economy and society, when they can really be contributors. And they want to be, they want to help," said Kuhn.
As the June 30th deadline approaches, the future of the young adults still remains uncertain. But there is still hope for some of the students and staff at the Hubert Humphrey Job Corps Center and centers across the nation.
On June 3rd, the filed "a motion for a temporary restraining order in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York to stop the U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL) closure of 99 Job Corps campuses nationwide."
On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Andrew Carter in Manhattan the Trump Administration from eliminating the Job Corps program.
A hearing is set for June 17, where the fate of the program will be decided.
