Strengthening Job Corps: Reauthorization, expanded eligibility, and improved campus standards.
This Act reauthorizes and strengthens the Job Corps program, which provides vocational training and education for young adults. The changes expand eligibility, improve training quality through new operator evaluation metrics, and ensure better compensation for Job Corps staff. Citizens gain increased opportunities to acquire high-wage, in-demand skills, and graduates of Civilian Conservation Centers may qualify for direct hiring into the Forest Service.
Key points
Expanded Eligibility: The maximum age for Job Corps enrollment is raised from 24 to 28 for individuals with disabilities or those involved with the justice system. New eligible groups include low-income individuals and residents of Qualified Opportunity Zones.
Improved Staff Compensation: Job Corps operators must comply with the Service Contract Act, ensuring that staff, including academic and career technical instructors, receive wages and benefits comparable to those in local public education providers.
Enhanced Accountability and Safety: Campuses must implement behavioral management plans, including a zero-tolerance policy for violence and illegal activity. Campus directors must establish agreements with local law enforcement for reporting and investigating incidents.
New Funding Authorization: The bill authorizes appropriations for Job Corps from fiscal years 2025 through 2030, starting at over $1.8 billion in 2025, with dedicated funds for campus construction and rehabilitation.
Direct Hiring for Conservation Graduates: Graduates of Civilian Conservation Centers who complete forestry or wildland firefighting training can be directly hired by the Department of Agriculture's Forest Service.
Expired
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