by Lori Kersey, West Virginia Watch
June 3, 2025

At least one of the West Virginia locations of a federal youth job training program will be affected by a “pause” in operations announced by the Trump administration late last week. 

The Department of Labor announced last week it would “pause” operations at all 99 contractor-operated Job Corps locations nationwide by June 25. The DOL said it would arrange transportation and cover expenses for current students back to their homes of record by June 30. 

The “pause” includes the Job Corps center at Charleston, according to news reports. 

West Virginia’s other Job Corps location, the Harpers Ferry Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center, is operated by the U.S. Forest Service. While that office will not be affected by the announcement from the Department of Labor, a spokesperson for the federal Department of Agriculture said Monday it will also review operations at its 24 Job Corps offices.  

“The Trump Administration is looking critically at the way we do business, with the ultimate goal of ensuring the best possible service for our customers, and the most efficient use of taxpayer dollars,” a USDA spokesperson wrote in an email to West Virginia Watch. “The Department of Labor has notified USDA of their intention to terminate Job Corps contracts and suspend operations for the Job Corps program. USDA is reviewing the program and will determine the status of our 24 centers soon. We continue to work closely with DOL and Congress to ensure USDA Job Corps facilities continue to prioritize the health and safety of program participants.”

Calls to the Charleston Job Corps center and the Harpers Ferry Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center were not immediately returned Monday. 

The Department of Labor’s decision to suspend the Job Corps program came after an “internal review” of its outcome and structure, the agency said in a news release. The program has been in a “financial crisis” for years, the DOL said. The program operated at a $140 million deficit in 2024. The deficit is expected to grow to $213 million in 2025. 

“Job Corps was created to help young adults build a pathway to a better life through education, training and community,” U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Lori 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,” she said. 

The Department of Labor said that in 2023, the Job Corps program reported 372 cases of inappropriate sexual behavior and sexual assaults, 1,764 acts of violence, and 1,167 breaches of safety or security. 

The program also has a low graduation average of 39% and has a cost of more than $80,000 per student per year, which is more than the $16,695 per year that the average student earns, according to the DOL.  

Melissa Rhodes, program director for the Charleston Job Corps Center, told WCHS-TV Eyewitness News the staff is “hanging by a thread” and that students of the program are very concerned about the pause.

“The Job Corps program matters,” Rhodes told the news station. “The future of our youth matters and I would like to say we are going to continue to fight for this program because it makes a difference in the lives of young people in our country.”

Nationwide, there are 25,000 Job Corps students at 131 centers, according to the Department of Labor. The department said it would work with local workforce partners to help current students to connect with education and employment opportunities.

According to its website, the Job Corp program is a no-cost vocational training program that helps people aged 16 to 24 earn their high school education, train for a career and find work. It’s the nation’s largest residential career training program. The program has trained more than 2 million people since its inception in 1964.

West Virginia Watch is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. West Virginia Watch maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Leann Ray for questions: info@westvirginiawatch.com.

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Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

This content presents factual reporting on a policy decision affecting a federal youth job training program, including statements from government officials and local program representatives. It offers financial and safety data, quotes from both government agencies and program staff, and background on the program without overt editorializing or partisan language. The balanced presentation and inclusion of multiple perspectives place it in the centrist category.