Standing with students, graduates, and local employers, U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer is pushing back against the Trump administration’s plan to shut down Job Corps centers nationwide — including the Oneonta Job Corps Academy, which serves nearly 300 students each year in high-demand trades like healthcare and construction.
Schumer says the program, which has bipartisan support, is too valuable to lose. It not only equips young people with industry-recognized skills but also supplies small and mid-sized businesses in Upstate New York with trained workers they can’t find elsewhere.
Funding fight in Congress
The senator announced that the Senate Appropriations Committee has passed a bipartisan bill to keep Job Corps funded in 2026, adding safeguards against disruption by the Department of Labor. He’s now calling on House Republicans to back the measure and reject cuts in Trump’s proposed budget, which would eliminate all Job Corps funding.
“The Oneonta Job Corps Center is the beating heart of Otsego County,” Schumer said. “Shutting it down would be outrageous — for our students, our local employers, and our regional economy.”
Economic and community impact
The Oneonta center employs around 120 staff and contributes an estimated $23 million annually to the Southern Tier and Mohawk Valley economies. Beyond training in construction and healthcare, programs include advanced electrical work, drone operations, and automotive trades. Many graduates move directly into permanent jobs, often in the communities where they trained.
Local leaders — from business owners to healthcare executives — credited Job Corps with providing reliable talent and transforming lives. Graduates shared personal stories of going from uncertain futures to meaningful careers.
If the closures proceed, Schumer warned, enrollment and staffing losses would ripple through the region, hurting both job seekers and employers. For now, court orders have paused the shutdowns, but funding for the program’s future remains undecided.
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