El Paso Job Corps Uncertainty: students fear losing vital community, life-changing skills
A federal job training program that has helped thousands of young people is at risk of suspension due to a significant budget shortfall.
Cheyenne Nolte, a 19-year-old resident at the Job Corps center in El Paso, has found a supportive community and valuable opportunities since arriving in February 2024.
"It's just one day at a time," said Nolte. "I feel like it's the best way to take it, especially now with like all the uncertainty going on right now."
RELATED: Job Corps centers to suspend operations nationwide, impacting El Paso
Originally from a small town in Kansas, Nolte came to the center for its opportunity and has since earned several certifications, including OSHA and EPA certifications.
"I am OSHA certified. I have my universal EPA and currently my Facility maintenance instructor right now, Mr. Alvarez, he is helping me get my RAMSET, which is like a tool handlers certification so that when I'm out in the field, I'm certified," she said.
Nolte described the center as a place that helps individuals "find your feet, find your place, like what you want to do with your life."
She said, "They help you get a job, they help you get certified, and it's not just one certain thing that you can get certified in."
Despite being far from her hometown, Nolte has found a sense of community at the Job Corps center.
"A lot of staff here view students as family because that's what we are here at Job Corps. We are just we're a family. We have to stick together and keep each other strong," she said.
However, the future of the El Paso Job Corps center is uncertain.
Students and staff were recently informed of the possibility of the center's closure, with a decision expected by June 30.
The U.S. Department of Labor has announced the suspension of the Job Corps program nationwide, including in El Paso.
The program costs taxpayers $1.7 billion annually and is facing a $140 million deficit this year.
However, efforts to shut it down have been temporarily blocked by a federal judge, with a hearing scheduled for June 17.
Nolte expressed concern for those who might be left without a place to go if the center closes.
"There are some students who aren't as fortunate as me, who don't have a place to go," she said.
This is an opportunity. This is a second chance for so many people. And if it closes, that second chance is gone.
Despite the uncertainty, Nolte remains hopeful and positive.
"I try to start every day trying to be positive," she said. "It's just one day at a time, I feel like it's the best way to take it, especially now with all the uncertainty going on."
The potential closure of the center has also sparked a sense of unity among students and staff.
"We need unity right now. We need communication and we need to fight it," Nolte said. "This is something that is worth fighting for."
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In regard to the program closure, the Trump administration stated it is "initiating an orderly transition for students, staff, and local communities."
However, critics of the president argue that the move will negatively impact many communities.
Democratic Congresswoman Veronica Escobar expressed her concerns, stating, "Pausing Job Corps operations isn’t just disruptive - it’s cruel and an immense loss for our workforce and our community. The Trump admin needs to urgently reconsider."
Other efforts have also been made to keep the program open across the nation.
Congresswoman Veronica Escobar, along with 200 other members of Congress, have sent a letter urging the Department of Labor to keep the program running.
You can read the full letter below:
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