MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - This week the U.S. Department of Labor announced it will begin a phased paused in operations at contractor-operated Job Corps centers nationwide. There are over a hundred federally-funded Job Corps centers, including the Montgomery campus.
For more than six decades the Montgomery Job Corps Center has prepared students for the workforce. Job Corps is the nation's largest residential career training and education program for at risk youth.
"They're coming in and earning a high school diploma, they're earning a trade certification," said Jerry Morris, Business Engagement Specialist with the Montgomery Job Corps Center. "And if we're looking at replacing a workforce that's deteriorating, why not keep this program going."
But now, Job Corps leaders say they have been ordered to shut down campuses, terminate staff and, remove tens of thousands of 16 to 24-year-olds who reside on those campuses.
"Some of our students do not have anywhere to go," said Morris. "Job Corps has provided hope where there was no hope. It's provided stability where there was none."
The National Job Corps Association reports more than 4,500 students were homeless before joining Job Corps. That includes Quintarius Straight.
"They have a place where I can stay and place where I can learn, build leadership," said Straight.
Straight just started training in the welding program. Now he and fellow students are scared about an uncertain future.
"We all want to just progress. We want to be ourselves and also be 10 times better than we were yesterday," said Straight.
"This is what is really trying to help me for my future. It's what I've spent so many months doing and preparing for. I just feel like it's going to be all shut down and it's going to be for nothing," said Montgomery Job Corps Student Adrian Demore.
For students, Job Corps is a chance a better life an opportunity they now fear will soon be gone.
"It was a punch in the gut," said Montgomery Job Corps Center Director Frank Coiro. "This program works and it's worked for a long time and we can sit and probably talk for hours about the number of success stories, not just at our center, but at the other 120 centers nationwide."
Leaders are hopeful something will change and keep their doors open if not they are concerned about what will happen to the students they now serve.
"I think it's going to be a continued failures in a lot of cases," Coiro explained. "They're not going to have the opportunities. They're going to be in a stagnant wage job or menial jobs. And although those are ok for a short time to get their foot in the door somewhere. They're not going to be able to advance."
The Labor Secretary in a statement said there have been a number of serious incident reports within Job Corps and according to a transparency report the program is no longer achieving the outcomes that students deserve.
Coiro said that report is misleading and he has seen the success of the program first hand.
"To see a young person that has had multiple failures and struggles and challenges and they get that diploma and walk across the stage. It's not just the look on their face. I love the look on their families faces," said Coiro.
The Montgomery Job Corps Center currently has more than 150 students and close to 100 employees. Coiro says there are over 100 more students that have applied and are waiting to start the program.
The Department of Labor said the pause of operations at contractor-operated centers will take effect by June 30.