Excelsior Springs Job Corps center faces uncertain future after federal suspension

EXCELSIOR SPRINGS, Mo. (KCTV) — The U.S. Department of Labor announced Friday it will suspend operations at all Job Corps centers across the country, including in Excelsior Springs. The decision means more than 120 centers will be forced to close in exactly one month on June 30.

The federal government cited financial challenges and a number of serious incident reports, including violence, sexual assault, and drug use that have put students in danger. According to a “Job Corps Transparency Report” released in April, Job Corps centers are required to report incidents as ‘minor’ as being late to class or using profanity, which for 98 percent of reported incidents.

In Program Year 2024, the program operated at a $140 million deficit, requiring the Biden istration to pause center operations through the end of the year. The deficit is projected to reach $213 million in PY 2025.

Unless legal action is taken, Job Corps leadership says the closure will require them to send 274 students home next month. Some students say the program helped them build a future that once looked promising but is now uncertain.

“I started a month ago and now that it’s shutting down, it’s like what do I do now?” said Marquise Jones, a welding student at the Excelsior Springs center.

Before arriving at Job Corps, Jones said his life in Kansas City could have gone in a very different direction.

“I know with welding that’s keeping me from a lot of distractions out there in the inner city and everything, and keeping me from like being out in the streets because it’s a lot of bad things going on so you wanna have a mindset and that goal to keep pursuing your dream that’s going on.”

His goal of becoming a welder may be cut short, along with the plans of others training within the program’s five other labor market industries including construction, manufacturing, healthcare, and hospitality.

“Since I came here to Job Corps, I came here with hope. Hoping that I would have a place to stay because they provide housing here,” said Claudia Zunun-Mendez, a culinary student at the center.

Zunun-Mendez said her hopes are quickly turning into stress. She ed the program after high school at a time when she was no longer receiving financial from her family. After a year in the program and recently earning her certification, she believed she was on track to find a job.

“To be honest, I am very scared of what’s gonna happen. I am scared because now that they’re gonna close Job Corps I have less than a month to figure out what I’m gonna do.”

Staff say they are doing their best to students, especially those experiencing homelessness. They are helping them explore other training and housing options to keep them on the right track.

There are also 194 staff working with human resources on what their next steps are.

“Do I think this is a worthy investment of government money, I absolutely do, and it’s in line with the focus of America first because we are training young Americans to take over the labor force,” said Center Director Lori Sams.

Job Corps leadership is now working with outside partners to help connect students with referrals that would allow them to continue their education or find employment once they return home.

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