ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Job Corps centers across the country will remain open following a federal settlement reached last week between the U.S. Department of Labor and 7 students who challenged plans to shut down the program.
That includes the Pinellas County Job Corps Center, which serves about 280 students.
Job Corps Lawsuit Reaches Federal Settlement
The backstory:
Job Corps has provided education, career training, housing and other services to low-income young adults ages 16 to 24 since 1964.
The program came under threat in May last year, when the Department of Labor announced a pause in Job Corps and plans to close all 99 centers nationwide.
The agency pointed to a 38.6% national graduation rate in 2023 and what it described as a "startling number of incident reports."
St. Petersburg center to stay open
What we know:
Seven Job Corps students represented by Public Citizen and the Southern Poverty Law Center filed a class-action lawsuit against the Department of Labor.
Under the settlement, the DOL agreed to rescind the pauses affecting the centers and not take further action like the closures outlined earlier this year.
Graduate shares her story of success
Local perspective:
For Pinellas County Job Corps graduate Mya Harrell, the news was personal.
"I was excited. I have friends that are still there. Knowing that there are people that are going to succeed," Harrell said.
Courtesy: Mya Harrell
Harrell graduated from the Pinellas campus in December and soon after joined the Navy, receiving a $5,000 bonus.
She said staff at the campus helped students make plans during the uncertainty, including organizing a job fair and bringing in recruiters and housing experts.
"They had all the recruiters, including the Air Force, come in and speak to everyone so that everyone had a plan," Harrell said.
Community leaders react to court decision
What they're saying:
St. Pete City Councilman Corey Givens Jr., a former Pinellas Job Corps employee, called the settlement exciting news.
He said the program provides students with free housing, healthcare and vocational training.
Askia Aquil, president of the Pinellas County Job Corps Center Community Relations Council, called the settlement a victory for alumni and future generations.
"We knew that Job Corps had widespread support," Aquil said. "So the federal court just confirmed what we felt all along."
U.S. Department of Labor response
The other side:
FOX 13 reached out to the U.S. Department of Labor for comment, but has not heard back.
Upcoming campus event planned for jobseekers
What's next:
The Pinellas County Job Corps Center is hosting a job fair Wednesday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The Source: Information comes from interviews with Pinellas Job Corps graduate Mya Harrell, St. Pete City Councilman Corey Givens Jr. and Askia Aquil, president of the Pinellas County Job Corps Center Community Relations Council. FOX 13 also reviewed information about the federal lawsuit and settlement.