From staff reports The U.S. Department of Labor has stopped new student enrollment at 16 contractor-operated Job Corps centers nationwide, including the Guthrie and Tulsa Job Corps centers in Oklahoma. The Talking Leaves Job Corps Center in Tahlequah, operated by the Cherokee Nation, is also impacted. This decision is due to significant financial challenges, low student numbers, concerns about safety and low graduation rates.
Job Corps, a federal program founded in 1964, provides job training, education and housing for young people from low-income families, aged 16 to 24. Its core mission is to equip students with in-demand job skills. For example, graduates from the Guthrie center have found success in information technology and automotive repair. The Tulsa center has placed graduates with local employers such as St. Francis Hospital and Walgreens, and the Talking Leaves center has seen graduates hired by the Cherokee Nation Casino. The program aims to increase economic mobility by helping individuals achieve higher earnings and a more stable financial future.
The Labor Dept. cited 'significant financial challenges' for the pause in new enrollment. The program has operated with a $140 million deficit in 2024, projected to reach $213 million by 2025. The budget for Job Corps campus operations has remained largely flat for the past eight years despite inflation. COVID-19 also severely impacted the program, leading to site closures and a 75% drop in enrollment.
Data supporting these concerns comes primarily from the Labor Dept.'s Job Corps Transparency Report, released in April 2025. This report detailed the financial challenges, noting an average cost per graduate of $155,600.74, which is higher than a four-year college education, and low average graduate earnings ($16,695 annually). The report also found an average graduation rate of 38.6%. Regarding safety, the report listed numerous 'Serious Incident Reports' for program year 2023, including sexual assaults, acts of violence and drug use incidents.
The Labor Dept. plans to 'pause' operations at all contractor-operated Job Corps centers by June 30, which creates uncertainty for current students, who may not be able to finish their training programs at their centers. The department states it will work with state and local groups to help students find other educational and employment opportunities.
While the immediate focus is on transitioning existing students, some organizations and tribes in Oklahoma are involved in broader workforce development that could serve as alternatives.
Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. expressed concern over the closures, stating, 'The Cherokee Nation has operated a Job Corps training center since 1978 to ensure youth get their high school diploma or GED and life and job skills to succeed. The campus in Tahlequah has about 150 students currently living there and working toward these very goals, and it’s very concerning to learn that federal funding for the future of this program, and this safe space for students enrolled, is being shuttered. Our program, Talking Leaves Job Corps, has served Native and non-Native students for many decades, positively impacting their lives in a culturally rich environment. Cherokee Nation support the continuation of Job Corps, a program that has served the country well for over 60 years.”
The Cherokee Nation's existing programs, like JOBS/Tribal TANF, which help members find jobs and receive training, position them to assist young people affected by these changes. Other potential alternatives for youth seeking training and support include Work Ready Oklahoma, the Oklahoma Conservation Corps, the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program, YouthBuild programs, and various Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act programs available through American Job Centers.
The recent decision by the Department of Labor specifically affects contractor-operated Job Corps centers. The 24 Job Corps Civilian Conservation Centers (CCCs), which operate under the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service, are not impacted by this pause in operations and are expected to remain open. The closest CCC to Oklahoma that will remain open is the Cass Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center in Ozark, Arkansas.