Trump administration cuts threaten vocational training program in N.H.
'It was my main plan because it was affordable,' said 17-year-old Martin-Bennitt of Manchester, who was hoping to study electrical technology. 'Hands-on training is one of the fastest ways I can start working and building a better future for me and my family.'
On May 29, the
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'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.'
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A handful of companies that operate these centers then filed a lawsuit in New York in early June to
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Isaiah Martino, 22, is a recent graduate of the Jobs Corps program in Manchester, and he said the program helped him turn his life around.
Amanda Gokee/Globe Staff
The program provides free vocational training for low-income students between 16 and 24 years old, in addition to
Education advocates in New Hampshire said the 'pause' would effectively eliminate the program in the Granite State. New enrollment in the New Hampshire program has been halted since March, when the administration stopped allowing the Job Corps site to conduct required background checks, according to Tina Philibotte, a former teacher and education advocate.
On Monday, Republican Executive Councilor John Stephen was among those who spoke in support of the program, which he called a vital community resource.
He said the program's closure could leave 250 students in a difficult position, without developing necessary skills, and even put some at risk of homelessness. Stephen, who campaigned as a
'The state of New Hampshire needs to put all its resources together to make sure we help these youth every single step of the way,' he said.
Nationally, Job Corps has been operating for more than 50 years and is the largest nationwide residential career training program in the country, according to the
Isaiah Martino, 22, is a recent graduate of the Jobs Corps program in Manchester, and he said the program helped him turn his life around.
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'Just two years ago, I was an unemployed high school drop out,' he said. Martino said he hit rock bottom after he was evicted from his apartment and resorted to sleeping on his parents' couch. He said, at first, Job Corps was a way to get out of their hair, but with time, it became more than that.
'I now have my high school diploma, driver's license. I am a certified kitchen cook. I have a stable job, an apartment, and a car,' he said. 'Before going to Job Corps these are things I never imagined I would achieve.'
He said he's troubled to think that his friends who were close to graduating from the program might not have the same chance that he did.
'It's upsetting that they won't get that opportunity,' he said.
Amanda Gokee can be reached at
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