Five Job Corps centers serving Upstate New York will remain open after the Trump administration rescinded a plan that threatened operations at 99 campuses nationwide.
The New York centers are in Albany, Sullivan, Orleans, Otsego and Chautauqua counties and provide education, housing and job training for young people preparing for careers in fields including health care, construction and manufacturing.
U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer announced the reversal, pointing to a new federal settlement agreement that includes protections against closing Job Corps campuses or stopping their operations. The release did not provide the full agreement or describe how long each protection will remain in effect.
The decision follows months of litigation and congressional action over the program's future. President Donald Trump's administration paused Job Corps operations nationwide in May 2025, but federal judges temporarily blocked the shutdown and directed operations to resume while the legal dispute continued.
Congress preserved $1.76 billion for the program
The fiscal 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education funding bill rejected the administration's request to eliminate Job Corps, according to Schumer's office. The measure provides $1.76 billion for the program, an amount the senator said is consistent with the prior year.
The legislation also includes language restricting the closure of individual centers unless specified requirements are met. Schumer said those provisions were intended to prevent the administration from ending the program through funding cuts or campus-by-campus shutdowns.
The administration had sought to zero out Job Corps funding in its budget request after pausing operations, according to the release. Schumer also pressed Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer for answers about the interruption and urged the department to preserve the centers.
Before the reversal, Schumer visited the Iroquois Job Corps Center in Orleans County, the Cassadaga center in Chautauqua County and the Oneonta center in Otsego County. He met with students, staff and employers who use the program as a source of trained workers.
Centers serve young people ages 16 to 24
Job Corps serves low-income and at-risk young people ages 16 to 24. The program helps participants complete high school, learn technical skills and prepare for jobs while offering services that can include stable housing and health care.
The five Upstate New York centers serve thousands of young people and employ more than 500 staff members, Schumer's office said. The release did not provide enrollment or staffing totals for each campus.
Schumer called the reversal a benefit for students, employers and local economies, arguing that businesses need trained workers and participants need accessible paths into careers. His office said Job Corps has helped millions of young people nationally since the program began.
Information about the program is available at jobcorps.gov. Prospective students can begin the application process at enroll.jobcorps.gov.
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