DETROIT – The U.S. Department of Labor’s sudden suspension of its Job Corps program has left hundreds of young people in Detroit without housing and career training, forcing many to scramble for alternatives.
On Thursday, the department announced an immediate operational pause of the federal program, which provides vocational training and housing for at-risk youth.
While the Department of Labor set a June 30 deadline for the suspension, many students said they were instructed to leave immediately, causing confusion and disruption for enrolled participants and their families.
“Job Corps changed my life. I can’t stress that enough,” said Mariyah Louis, a program alumna.
Louis expressed shock at the abrupt closure, describing it as “very disheartening” and “disbelief.”
Detroit City Council Member Scott Benson called the decision “shameful,” criticizing the lack of planning in the program’s suspension.
“There seems to be little to no thought being put into these decisions and how shutting down programs like this is going to impact those who depend on them the most--vulnerable kids,” Benson said.
Siobhan Stahl said she was notified Saturday to come pick up her 17-year-old son, who enrolled in the program earlier this year.
“I’m devastated. My son is devastated,” Stahl said. “I have another 16-year-old who was about to do orientation and join here pretty soon, and we kept getting delayed and delayed and didn’t know why. Now we know why.”
The City of Detroit is working to secure alternative housing and resources for displaced students.
“We’ve got to make sure everybody has housing and that they have food,” Benson said. “We are working on that as we speak, as a city, to ensure our children are not displaced into nothingness but have a soft-landing spot.”
Louis has also established a Facebook group to connect affected students with resources, housing opportunities and mental health support. It’s called “We Were You – Job Corps Alumni for Youth in Crisis.”
“That way, they have a hub to go to for mental health support or mentorship from some alumni like myself,” she said
Job Corps has been a crucial federal initiative for decades providing career training to at-risk youth across the country. The Department of Labor cited financial uncertainty as the reason for the program’s suspension.
The Detroit facility is one of several Michigan locations affected by the pause, including centers in Flint and Grand Rapids.
As the community grapples with the immediate aftermath, affected families remain hopeful for the program’s eventual return.
“We’ve got to regroup and figure out what we are going to do next and just hope and pray that Job Corps gets to be reopened and we are able to send our students back,” Stahl said.
