Nationally recognized locations in Hawaiʻi will be affected
Washington, DC -- Today, U.S. Representative Jill Tokuda (HI-02) issued the following statement after the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) announced plans to pause operations at all contractor-run Job Corps centers nationwide, including Hawaiʻi’s nationally recognized programs on Maui and Oʻahu.
"I am outraged by the Department of Labor’s reckless decision to halt operations at Job Corps centers, a lifeline for young people in Hawaiʻi and across the country. This isn’t budget management; it’s a betrayal. Job Corps works. It gives vulnerable youth the tools to build stable futures and creates economic opportunities in our communities. Shutting it down abandons them and undermines everything we claim to stand for.
When Maui was in crisis, it was Job Corps students who showed up — delivering aid, offering comfort, standing strong for their neighbors. That’s not just a program. That’s resilience in action.
We should be investing more in Job Corps, not gutting it. I will fight this shortsighted move and focus on increasing our support because our youth deserve opportunity, not abandonment."
Hawaiʻi’s two Job Corps campuses on Maui and Oʻahu, ranked second out of 125 locations nationwide, provide hands-on career training in high-demand fields. In 2024, 112 Hawaiʻi students launched careers through the program. Over 80 percent of Hawaiʻi graduates are employed, enrolled in college, or plan on serving in the military within six months — earning an average wage of $17.87 per hour, well above the state and federal minimum wage.
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