St. Pete students, staff face uncertainty amid nationwide Job Corps pause

Impacts of Job Corps Centers closing

Genevieve Curtis reports.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The U.S. Department of Labor has announced a nationwide pause on Job Corps centers, citing low graduation rates as justification for the decision. The move, linked to cost-cutting efforts under the Trump administration, has sent shockwaves through local campuses — including the Pinellas Job Corps Center in St. Petersburg.

"This means that more young people are now going to be homeless because the Department of Labor does not think that this is worth the investment," said St. Pete City Councilman Corey Givens.

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The backstory:

Roughly 280 students lived on the Pinellas campus, many of whom had aged out of foster care or come from difficult backgrounds. Now, with the program suspended, students are scrambling to figure out their next steps — some facing the possibility of homelessness.

"We don’t know where we’re going to go," said Nina Brown, a student close to completing her Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) certification. "Everything’s just been put on pause."

What they're saying:

The shutdown has also displaced more than 150 instructors and staff members. Debbie Garrett, who taught art at the center for 13 years, described the news as heartbreaking.

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"These are young people who’ve come from horrendous situations," she said. "This center gives them a chance to become nurses, pharmacy techs, carpenters. We need them — in Florida, and across America."

Cranstan Cumberbach has taught at the center for 11 years.

"I really believed in the job and in the impact that we were making, the difference we were making in the lives of the students here," he said.

By the numbers:

The Labor Department pointed to a 34% graduation rate as one reason for the pause. However, staff members argue that the figure is outdated and was collected during the COVID-19 pandemic. They claim the center now has an 87% graduation rate.

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The other side:

Givens, who is a former Job Corps employee, called the center a "transformation zone."

"This isn’t just a school," he said. "It’s where miracles happen."

Big picture view:

"At a time when we do have a gap in these blue-collar industry jobs, now we want to cut the training programs that are pipelining these young people into the workforce. To me, it's backwards," said Givens.

Many local industries — especially in healthcare and skilled trades — hire directly from Job Corps graduates. With the program on hold, some employers could face staffing shortages during an ongoing labor crunch.

"This comes at a time when we’re already short on workers," Garrett said. "These young people are going to go back to all the counties they are from in Florida without their education. Do you have a job for them? Do you have housing for them?"

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What's next:

A rally in support of the Pinellas Job Corps Center is being organized for next week. Students, staff, and local leaders are expected to attend in hopes of reversing the decision.

"This isn’t just about education," said instructor Cranstan Cumberbatch. "It’s about hope, opportunity, and futures being built — all of that is at risk now."

The Department of Labor has given the center until the end of the month to find housing for the most vulnerable students facing homelessness, about 20%.

The Source: The information in this story was gathered by FOX 13's Genevieve Curtis.

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