Strengthening Job Corps Act of 2025

House Votes

This bill renews and strengthens the Job Corps program. It opens the door to more young people, makes applying easier, boosts safety on campuses, and sets clearer performance goals for each center. It also raises pay standards for campus staff and extends help for students after they finish training.

• Who is affected: Youth ages 16–24, with waivers up to 28 for people with disabilities or who are justice-involved; low-income youth and residents of Opportunity Zones; and veterans who meet the age rules.
• Applying: Allows a single application that can cover Job Corps, YouthBuild, and other youth workforce programs to make it simpler to apply.
• Safety and student behavior: Each campus must have a behavior plan with positive supports; there is zero tolerance for serious violence and illegal activity; campuses must have agreements with local police and report major health and behavior incidents.
• Support after training: Extends follow-up help (like job and life support) from 3 months to 12 months, and lets graduates stay on campus up to 1 month to transition to work and independent living.
• Campus management: The operator’s contract becomes the campus operating plan and must be posted online; local operators can hire staff and partner with nearby schools and employers without prior approval.
• Staff pay and protections: Applies the federal Service Contract Act to Job Corps operators and subcontractors and treats instructors as covered employees; bids must budget wages and benefits at least equal to local determinations, with yearly updates. Existing agreements must be updated within 60 days of enactment.
• Performance and accountability: Picks campus operators using clear results-based metrics; sets expected goals for each campus with a model that factors in student backgrounds and local job markets; recognizes high performers and pushes improvements where needed. Some conservation-center graduates can be hired directly into the Forest Service.
• Funding and timing: Authorizes funding for 2026–2031 with specific annual amounts, plus $107.8 million each year for campus construction and rehab.