Closure of Shreveport Job Corps Displaces Students and Staff

By: Dr. Kirkpatrick Williams  

The Shreveport Job Corps Center, which has served the region for over 45 years, is set to close abruptly on June 30, leaving nearly 300 enrolled students and more than 100 staff members scrambling due to federal funding cuts announced by the U.S. Department of Labor.

A Lifeline for Economically Disadvantaged Youth

The center offers career training, high school diplomas or HiSET preparation, vocational certifications, meals, on-campus housing, and counseling support to 16–24-year-olds. In recent weeks, 285 of the roughly 300 students were quietly relocated, some sent to shelters, group homes, or distant states like South Carolina, Georgia, and Washington.

Staff and Students React

An employee with a decade of service described a wave of emotion when operations halted. “It was a lot of tears… it’s just heartbreaking,” she said, expressing staff fears about layoffs and financial instability. Student Rolanda Jackson, 23, recently penned a letter directly to President Trump, pleading for her education to continue. At 38% completion of her trade program, she worries about lost credits and having to restart.

Federal Reasoning & Legal Pushback

The Department of Labor cites massive fiscal deficits, $140 million in 2024 and projected $213 million in 2025, and a concerning number of safety incidents (14,913 in 2023) as justification for pausing operations nationwide by June 30. This move follows a “phased pause” announcement covering 99 Job Corps centers across the country. The closure is also part of a Department of Labor transparency report highlighting issues like a sub‑40% graduation rate and average costs of over $80,000 per student.

Local Leaders Demand Action

On June 2, Caddo Parish Commission President Stormy Gage-Watts denounced the closure as “deeply troubling,” warning that families are being uprooted and advocating for federal intervention to “rethink” or replace the program swiftly. The Commission plans to address the issue in a work session, ensuring ongoing local advocacy.

National Reaction & Legal Developments

Across the nation, contractors and trade allies have filed lawsuits challenging the Department of Labor's authority to shutter Job Corps centers, a congressionally mandated program. A federal judge issued a temporary restraining order, preventing closures until legal questions are resolved. During congressional testimony, lawmakers pressed Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer regarding the legality and potential social impact of the closures.

What Comes Next

June 30 marks the official closure deadline. Displaced students will seek alternative schooling, vocational training, and housing. Staff are actively seeking new employment and local support initiatives. Local officials are mobilizing partnerships with workforce agencies and educational institutions. Court actions may delay or reverse the shutdown of Job Corps centers nationwide.

Bottom Line

The abrupt shutdown of Shreveport's Job Corps is sending ripples through the community, displacing vulnerable youth, costing jobs, and disrupting a 45-year workforce training pipeline. With legal interventions underway and local leaders demanding action, a critical moment is unfolding for the future of vocational education in Shreveport and beyond.