Job Corps

Jobs Corps is a federally-funded comprehensive no-cost education and vocational training program administered by the U.S. Department of Labor program that helps young people ages 16-24 improve the quality of their lives by empowering them to get great jobs and become independent. 

BRIEF SUMMARY

Jobs Corps is a federally-funded comprehensive no-cost education and vocational training program administered by the U.S. Department of Labor program that helps young people ages 16-24 improve the quality of their lives by empowering them to get great jobs and become independent.  Created in 1964 during the administration of President Lyndon B. Johnson, Job Corps was as part of Johnson’s War on Poverty and Great Society initiatives that sought to expand economic and social opportunities for Americans, especially minorities and the poor. One of the oldest social programs in the federal government today, Job Corps is a product of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964.

Job Corps helps young people from disadvantaged backgrounds complete their high school education and trains them for meaningful careers so they can get a good start in the working world.  Participants in the program are provided room and board while they work towards learning a trade, which can last up to two years. The program also helps students in completing their education and gaining employment. Participants are paid a monthly allowance which varies depending on how long they remain in the program. The Job Corps also provides career counseling and transition support to its graduates.

KEY POINTS

RESOURCES

SHARED WISDOM

  • Approximately 90% of Job Corps graduates go on to careers in the private sector, enlist in the military, or move on to higher education or advanced training programs.

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