Rep. Tokuda Condemns Decision to Pause Job Corps Operations

Rep. Tokuda Condemns Decision to Pause Job Corps Operations | U.S. House Representative Jill Tokuda Skip to content Close Home About Biography Our District Votes And Legislation Committees & Caucuses Bipartisan Rural Health Caucus Bipartisan Congressional Coffee Caucus Services Help With A Federal Agency Tours And Tickets Internships Flags Art Competition Commendations and Greetings Military Service Academy Nominations Funding Requests Grant Applications Events Know Your Rights Disaster Assistance Programs for Flooding Victims Community Resources and Flood Response Guidance Media Op-Eds Press Releases In The News Videos Contact Email Me Scheduling Request Newsletter Subscribe Office Locations Website Problem Close SEARCH Congresswoman Jill Tokuda About Biography Our District Votes And Legislation Committees & Caucuses Bipartisan Rural Health Caucus Bipartisan Congressional Coffee Caucus Services Help With A Federal Agency Tours And Tickets Internships Flags Art Competition Commendations and Greetings Military Service Academy Nominations Funding Requests Grant Applications Events Know Your Rights Disaster Assistance Programs for Flooding Victims Community Resources and Flood Response Guidance Media Op-Eds Press Releases In The News Videos Contact Email Me Scheduling Request Newsletter Subscribe Office Locations Website Problem Modal Search Button Mobile Site Search Submit Search MENU Facebook Logo Twitter Logo BlueSky Logo Youtube Logo Instagram Logo Home Media Press Releases May 29, 2025 Rep. Tokuda Condemns Decision to Pause Job Corps Operations 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. ### Print Email Share Tweet Previous Article Next Article About Services Media Contact Privacy Policy Facebook Logo Twitter Logo BlueSky Logo Youtube Logo Instagram Logo