They come to Job Corps for academic education, to learn skills, get real-life experiences and job opportunities in construction, welding, security, culinary arts and other fields.
There are 99 defunded, contractor-operated Job Corps Centers in the country, with three locations in Oklahoma: Tulsa, Guthrie and Tahlequah.
Chuck Hoskin Jr., principal chief of the Cherokee Nation, said in a statement that the Cherokee Nation has operated a Job Corps training center since 1978.
“The Job Corps program has faced significant financial challenges under its current operating structure,” according to a statement by the Department of Labor.
Because Job Corps is a federally funded program, the centers are subject to close scrutiny and are required to report every incident.
Lisa New worries about her community’s future in Guthrie.
As the U.S. S. . She worries about how her organization, Helping Community Paws and Claws, and other nearby nonprofits will be impacted by the Department of Labor’s announcement of “a phased pause in operations” for Job Corps Centers nationwide on May 29. She is also concerned about the staff and students’ uncertain futures.
She wrote in a text message, “These are polite, diligent young adults who are actively working to better their lives and give back to their community.”. “The Guthrie Job Corps closure is a community crisis in the making, not merely a change in bureaucracy. “”.
A residential educational and career training program for eligible low-income young adults aged 16 to 24, Job Corps is funded by the federal government. Students attend Job Corps to receive academic instruction, acquire skills, gain practical experience, and find employment in a variety of fields, including welding, construction, security, and culinary arts.
Adam Martin, the Tulsa Job Corps Center’s workforce specialist and community liaison, stated that the Department of Labor had extended the deadline for students to leave campuses from June 3 to June 13.
There are three Job Corps Centers in Oklahoma: Tulsa, Guthrie, and Tahlequah. There are 99 contractor-run, defunded centers across the nation.
Martin claimed that because of the short notice, centers had to rush to find new resources for job training and education, but particularly for short-term housing. He stated on Monday that some progress had been made because the majority of the students had been relocated.
“There are students here without families,” he stated. “The truth is that many of them came here to improve their prospects for a life they never had as well as their future. “.”.
He stated that some of the 153 students enrolled in the Tulsa center were expected to receive their diplomas the following month. Their future is now uncertain.
Charles Hoskin Jr. Cherokee Nation’s principal chief stated in a statement that the organization has run a Job Corps training facility since 1978.
He claimed that Talking Leaves Job Corps has been helping both native and non-native students for many years, “improving their lives in a culturally rich setting.”. “.”.
Regarding the 150 Tahlequah students who live on campus, pursue a high school diploma or GED, and acquire life and career skills, he expressed his concerns.
A recent internal review by the Department of Labor points to deficits worth millions of dollars.
The Department of Labor said in a statement that “the Job Corps program has faced significant financial challenges under its current operating structure.”.
According to department officials, the program’s 2024 operating deficit was $140 million. That shortfall is expected to increase to $213 million in 2025.
Many serious incident reports, such as those involving sexual assaults, inappropriate sexual behavior, violent crimes, reported drug use, and security breaches, were also included in the review.
Adam Martin claimed that students still act out and have behavioral problems despite the requirement for background checks and drug tests. The centers must report every incident and are closely monitored because Job Corps is a federally funded program.
“We make sure the person we’re bringing into our center genuinely wants to be here and we do a full, thorough everything on our end,” he stated. Some students take their studies seriously, while others do not, as is the case on many campuses.
“They decide to come here,” Martin remarked. Our job is to assist them in achieving their goals while they are at our centers. “”.
At number one is the Tulsa Job Corps Center. According to him, 21 out of the 99 centers had the highest success rate.
Lisa New stated that she has observed improvements in students who wish to enroll in the program, despite the reported graduation rate of nearly 40%. “We must defend those who desire it. “.
As the June 30 funding deadline approaches, Martin calls on the public to lend their support by contacting their senators and federal representatives.
He asserted, “We are genuinely changing lives.”.
