The Miami Job Corps Center, a program that has served hundreds of at-risk students annually, is closing its doors after the U.S. Department of Labor ordered an immediate halt to all operations at the site.
Although the federal agency has described the nationwide move as a “pause” of contractor-operated Job Corps centers, internal correspondence obtained by CBS Miami shows that the Miami site was ordered shut down “completely for the government’s convenience.”
The decision affects nearly 300 students, most between the ages of 16 and 24, who now face the loss of housing, education, and job training. Staff were also blindsided — 115 employees will lose their jobs. Full closure of the Miami center is set for June 30, but operations have already been halted, leaving students and staff in a state of uncertainty.
“Job Corps was created to help young adults build a pathway to a better life through education, training, and community,” said Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer. “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.”
The Job Corps program, once considered a cornerstone of federal youth workforce development, has faced mounting financial and structural challenges. In Program Year 2024, the program operated with a $140 million deficit, which is expected to balloon to $213 million in PY 2025. The first-ever Job Corps Transparency Report, released by the department’s Employment and Training Administration on April 25, 2025, revealed troubling performance data from PY 2023:
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Graduation Rate (WIOA Definition): 38.6%
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Average Cost per Student per Year: $80,284.65
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Average Cost per Graduate: $155,600.74
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Post-Program Average Annual Earnings: $16,695
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Serious Incident Reports: 14,913, including:
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372 reports of inappropriate sexual behavior and assault
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1,764 acts of violence
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1,167 safety or security breaches
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2,702 instances of reported drug use
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1,808 hospital visits
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The Trump administration has aligned this program pause with its FY 2026 budget proposal, citing the need to ensure federal workforce investments “deliver meaningful results for both students and taxpayers.”
But the move has drawn sharp criticism from elected officials, including Florida Congresswoman Frederica Wilson, who represents parts of South Florida and is planning to testify before the Education Committee in defense of Job Corps.
“Job Corps centers have saved the lives of juveniles and adolescents for generations. These centers serve as great PREVENTION TOOLS especially for the loss and left out troubled young adolescent. PREVENTION which is needed. PREVENTION which has proved that it works, and that it changes lives.”
Wilson warned of dire consequences if the centers are shuttered:
“So with the closure of JOB CORPS let us prepare to expand the bed count in private prisons. Let the JUSTICE SYSTEM prepare to deal with increased criminal activities in our communities perpetuated by youth. Let the mortuaries plan to expand the tombstones in cemeteries because people will die and it might be you or a member of your family.”
As the June 30 deadline looms, students at the Miami Job Corps Center and across the country face the challenge of rebuilding disrupted educational and career pathways.
