Proposed Department of Labor budget would shutter longstanding youth training initiative; community leaders raise concerns about economic and social fallout.
The White House’s recently released federal budget proposal includes a provision to eliminate the Job Corps program nationwide, a move that, if enacted, would close the Excelsior Springs Job Corps Center, resulting in hundreds of local job losses and eliminating a critical educational and vocational resource for at-risk youth.
Background on Job Corps
Job Corps was established in 1964 as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty, under the Economic Opportunity Act. The program was designed to provide young people with the education, vocational training, and support necessary to secure meaningful employment and achieve economic self-sufficiency.
Administered by the U.S. Department of Labor, Job Corps remains one of the largest and most comprehensive residential job training programs in the country. It is open to youth ages 16 to 24 who meet eligibility requirements, often serving individuals who are low-income, at risk of homelessness, or otherwise disconnected from traditional educational and workforce pathways.
Each year, more than 50,000 students across the nation participate in Job Corps, receiving hands-on training in high-demand trades and academic instruction, including GED and high school diploma attainment. Students live on campus, where they also receive meals, healthcare, counseling, and career planning, all at no cost to the individual.
The program’s focus is on long-term outcomes: equipping young adults with real-world skills, placing them into jobs, and breaking cycles of generational poverty. Over the decades, Job Corps has built partnerships with employers, labor unions, and community organizations to ensure that training is aligned with current workforce needs.
As part of its workforce development mission, Job Corps also plays a role in national economic strategy, filling gaps in industries such as construction, healthcare, manufacturing, hospitality, and transportation. The program’s model has made it an important federal tool for addressing both youth unemployment and employer workforce shortages.
Local Impact: A Community Tied to Opportunity
The Excelsior Springs Job Corps Center (ESJCC) has been an intersection of opportunity in the community for nearly six decades. Opened in March 1966, the center welcomed its first group of enrollees on March 9 of that year. The facility, which had previously operated as a Veterans Hospital until its closure in 1963, was transformed into a hub of vocational training and educational advancement.
Today, ESJCC trains more than 500 young people from Missouri and surrounding areas annually, offering hands-on instruction across a broad range of trades. Programs include Advanced Transportation Service Worker (Railroad), Building Construction Technology, Carpentry, Cement Masonry, Certified Nurse Assistant, Clinical Medical Assistant, Culinary Arts, Medical Administrative Assistant, Painting, Security and Protective Services, and Welding. These programs are designed to prepare students for direct entry into the workforce and create pathways out of poverty and instability.
The center employs 194 staff and brings in over $2.6 million in federal funding each year, making it not only an educational asset but also a significant economic driver for Excelsior Springs. However, the impact of the program extends far beyond numbers.
Students at ESJCC are embedded in the life of the community. Last summer, for example, students in the Security and Protective Services trade assisted at the city’s Irish Festival, checking bags, patrolling the grounds, and staffing a First Aid tent. Their work ensured a safe event and resulted in job offers through the center’s work-based learning program.
During Waterfest, the community’s largest festival, Job Corps students help with vendor setup, staging, and children’s activity areas. Their support helps the event run smoothly, and after their work is done, they remain to enjoy the festival as members of the community.
The tradition continues into the holiday season. Each year after the Lighted Parade, the Culinary Arts students offer homemade cookies to residents visiting the Hall of Waters. It’s a small but meaningful act that brings joy to community members and creates connections between students and residents.
The center’s training programs are also responsive to real-world needs. When a recent storm damaged a local pavilion, the Carpentry instructor turned the incident into a teaching moment. Students repaired and repainted the structure, applying their classroom skills to benefit the public space.
Work-based learning opportunities allow students to earn income while enrolled, contributing to local staffing needs at businesses such as hotels, restaurants, and retail stores. Opportunity Café and Coffee, for instance, has become a key partner, offering students a supportive environment to develop their skills in a real-world setting.
In Excelsior Springs, the Job Corps program is more than a training center—it is a vital part of the city’s social and economic makeup. The proposed elimination of the program would displace workers and students and sever a long-standing relationship between the community and a federal initiative that has delivered measurable results and deeply rooted connections.
Community and Political Response
The proposed elimination of the Job Corps program has sparked an immediate and passionate response from both national advocates and local voices in Excelsior Springs. As the decision now moves into the hands of Congress, communities with Job Corps centers, like Excelsior Springs, are mobilizing to protect a program many view as life-changing.
The National Job Corps Association (NJCA) has launched a nationwide grassroots advocacy campaign, equipping supporters with tools to contact elected officials before Congress reconvenes on Friday, May 30. Their toolkit emphasizes the urgency:
“The President’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget proposes eliminating all funding for the Job Corps, a devastating move that would shut down the nation’s most effective career training program for underserved youth… We need staff, students, alumni, parents, local leaders (mayors, city council members), chambers of commerce, employers, and community champions to raise their voices.”
In Excelsior Springs, students and alumni are doing just that. A post in the Excelsior Citizen Facebook Group by current student Corben Tackett drew widespread attention. Tackett shared a heartfelt account of how the Job Corps program had provided a turning point in his life:
“Before I came here, I was in a very bad place… I was giving up on school… Then my principal introduced me to the Job Corps, and I saw my opportunity… We all want to find our path, and it hurts seeing that Congress wants to take this away from us… This is our only chance… Please recognize us and help us save our futures.”
His message resonated widely, reaching over 17,700 people and prompting more than 300 comments. Among the supportive voices was Wayne Souders, a retired law enforcement officer and lifelong Excelsior Springs resident, who reflected on the evolution of the center over the decades:
“I saw the turnaround in which the center did a 180-degree turn… Job Corps students stepped up and provided help, without which [community programs] would never have gotten off the ground… I saw many of our local students go on to college and the military and contribute to their communities. Job Corps is a very worthwhile service.”
Additional testimony came this week during the Excelsior Springs Job Corps graduation ceremony. Student Government Association President Dakari Lewis, a graduating student, spoke about the deeper value the program provides:
“It teaches us how to be leaders… It gives you the tools to be successful… It also gives people a chance to enter a life where they know how to be independent… What it means to me is that it allows me to grow up as a man… to be part of leadership… to see life in a broader way. It provides a whole lot of life changes to students who need it.”
At the local level, city and community leaders are being called upon to raise their voices. The Excelsior Springs Job Corps center has long enjoyed the support of local business owners, service organizations, and residents who have seen firsthand how the program strengthens the community. With the future of the Job Corps uncertain, many are preparing to join the national effort to protect it.
Local Leaders Weigh In
As the potential defunding of the Job Corps program continues to raise concern at the federal level, local leaders in Excelsior Springs have begun publicly weighing the consequences for the community and exploring what may come next.
Excelsior Springs School District Superintendent Mark Bullimore emphasized the educational value of the partnership between the school district and the Excelsior Springs Job Corps Center.
“I believe this would be a loss not just for our district, but for students across Missouri. The potential loss of the Job Corps would take away important opportunities for students who benefit most from hands-on, career-focused programs,” he stated.
He added that since July, 24 students have received high school diplomas through the district’s partnership with Job Corps, which is currently the only high school-to-Job Corps diploma partnership in Missouri.
“We would also see a negative impact in terms of Average Daily Attendance, which affects district funding. The program’s enrollment has been challenging to forecast since 2020, and its potential elimination would further complicate our long-term planning.”
Superintendent Mark Bullimore acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding the program’s future but noted that Job Corps leadership has been actively working to preserve it.
“Speaking with Mr. Rubey, Job Corps leadership has been actively working with legislators and outside advocacy groups to support the continuation of the program, and there appears to be strong bipartisan support,” Bullimore said. “This isn’t the first time Job Corps funding has faced cuts, and we remain hopeful the program will continue in some form.”
He added that the proposal still faces the full legislative process:
“While the future of the program is uncertain, this budget proposal from the President still has to go through both houses of Congress for approval.”
Bullimore also said the district will continue to monitor developments and work closely with the center as decisions unfold:
“We’ll have to continue to monitor the situation and work closely with our local Job Corps to see how it plays out—whether the program is fully cut, reduced, or restructured in some way.”
Mayor Mark Spohn expressed support for fiscal responsibility at the federal level, but questioned whether eliminating an entire program like Job Corps is the best solution.
“Let me begin by saying I am in full support of cuts in federal spending across the board, except for crucial funding for national security and infrastructure to support transportation and education,” Spohn said. “Our federal spending has been off the rails for decades.”
At the same time, Spohn acknowledged the visible and long-lasting impact the Excelsior Springs Job Corps Center has made in the lives of students, including some he and his wife personally mentored through a church-led Bible study on campus. Two of those former students—Munir Ramahi and Jonathan McCleevy—shared how the program had changed their lives. Ramahi credited Job Corps with setting the tone for his future, providing mentors and skills that helped him build a stable life. McCleevy said he owed the program “a debt of gratitude.”
Reflecting on the importance of helping individuals even when large-scale challenges exist, Spohn referenced a familiar parable about a person walking along a beach littered with starfish washed ashore. In the story, the person throws starfish back into the ocean one at a time. When questioned about the point of helping just a few when so many are stranded, the person replies: “It made a difference for that one.”
“These are just two of the many lives we came in contact with,” Spohn said. “Not all were success stories, but for those two, it made a real difference.”
While supportive of broader conversations about reducing federal dependence and exploring future uses of the Job Corps property, Spohn emphasized the need to weigh those discussions against the very real and personal impact the program continues to have in Excelsior Springs.
“I will be encouraging my Senators to consider how this gutting of an entire program will have a devastating impact on local communities as well as the lives of many students who may potentially be impacted positively,” he said. “While the bath water may look murky, perhaps we should be careful not to throw the baby out with the bath water.”
He also suggested that the community begin a conversation about potential future uses for the Job Corps campus should funding be eliminated entirely.
“We probably ought to begin immediate conversations about the property… If this program is completely defunded, what is the next best use of the property?”
Mayor Pro-Tem Reggie St. John underscored the evolution of the center’s community perception and its relevance to workforce needs.
“Fifty years ago, the Job Corps Center in Excelsior Springs was not seen as a community asset. Today, it is a different story,” he said, citing student involvement in civic cleanups and public events.
“It does not appear to be the best option to cut all funding to an organization whose product is individuals with needed skills for today’s economy.
City Councilman Gary Renne offered a reflection based on decades of personal observation:
“Since the 1980s, I have attended many Job Corps graduations. I have never seen such joy and pride from both the student and their family… Please do all you can to keep this program alive.”
State Representative Mark Meirath shared a more cost-focused perspective. In a recent phone conversation, he noted that the estimated cost per student at the Excelsior Springs center—between $70,000 and $80,000—was, in his view, “astronomical.” He acknowledged that the figure includes housing, healthcare, transportation, and instruction. While acknowledging the program’s local value, Meirath also raised questions about future use of the facility:
“I’d hate for Excelsior to lose it, but if we do, we’ll find something to hopefully plug the hole. I hope so.”
He referenced a recent tour of a sheet metal workers hall in Raytown and floated the possibility of a public-private training partnership or junior college use if the site becomes available.
Local leaders across the spectrum agree that the impact of eliminating the program would be detrimental to the local economy and that the coming months will require careful attention, advocacy, and preparation for possible outcomes.
Broader Implications
While the proposed elimination of the Job Corps program would have a direct and visible impact on communities like Excelsior Springs, its broader implications extend far beyond city limits. At stake are not only federal dollars and local jobs, but the long-term economic prospects of the underserved populations the program is designed to reach.
Job Corps provides a federally funded alternative to social welfare, one designed to promote self-sufficiency through education and training. The estimated cost per local Job Corps student—around $70,000 to $80,000 annually—includes housing, healthcare, education, transportation, and meals, offering a full wraparound support system. By comparison, a Missouri prisoner costs approximately $100 per day, or $36,500 annually, with little emphasis on long-term rehabilitation or employment outcomes.
Without access to programs like Job Corps, many of the same young adults may instead turn to public assistance. For example:
- SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) provides an average of $397 per month, or about $196 per person.
- Housing assistance in the Kansas City area averages $4,104 per year per household.
- LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program)—also targeted for federal cuts—provides an average of $675 per Missouri household annually.
When compounded across thousands of individuals, the cost of displacing Job Corps students from structured training into the broader safety net could far exceed the cost of the program itself.
Critics of Job Corps have pointed to the publicized average annual earnings of $16,695 as evidence of underperformance, but those figures include those who did not complete their programs. Wages vary from trade to trade, with some paying upwards of $20-30/hour. Program advocates counter that this figure is a starting wage, not an endpoint, and notably higher than the Missouri minimum wage of $13.75 per hour. In many rural or low-income areas, it represents a significant first step toward economic stability.
The elimination of the Job Corps would also represent a setback for industries currently facing deep labor shortages. Councilman St. John pointed out that the construction industry alone has an estimated 236,000 unfilled positions nationwide, while fields like healthcare, transportation, and protective services all face increasing demand. Job Corps provides direct pipelines into these sectors through hands-on instruction and partnerships with unions and educational contractors, many of whom would be affected by the program’s shutdown.
Additionally, many Job Corps centers, including Excelsior Springs, support apprenticeship-ready pathways for organized labor. The loss of this connection would affect not only future tradespeople but also labor unions, which rely on Job Corps-trained individuals to fill skilled positions.
If the program is dismantled, it may also amplify disparities in access to workforce training, particularly in communities already struggling with poverty, underemployment, and systemic barriers to education.
While federal budget negotiations continue, advocates argue that the long-term cost of cutting the program could be far greater than its current funding, both financially and socially. Whether Job Corps is preserved, restructured, or replaced, the outcome will shape the nation’s approach to youth employment, poverty reduction, and workforce development for years to come.
Call to Action
As the future of the Job Corps program remains uncertain, supporters across Excelsior Springs are urging community members to get involved. With the President’s proposed budget calling for the complete elimination of the program, the decision now rests with Congress, and residents have a window of opportunity to make their voices heard before funding decisions are finalized.
Local leaders, educators, alumni, and advocates are asking citizens to contact their federally elected officials and express support for preserving the Job Corps program. Outreach from constituents can play a critical role in shaping how Missouri’s delegation responds during budget negotiations.
Community members are encouraged to reach out to:
- Senator Josh Hawley
Website Contact Form: www.hawley.senate.gov/contact
Phone: (202) 224-6154 - Senator Eric Schmitt
Website Contact Form: www.schmitt.senate.gov/contact
Phone: (202) 224-5721 - Congressman Sam Graves (MO-6)
Website Contact Form: graves.house.gov
Phone: (202) 225-7041
As the debate continues in Washington, many in Excelsior Springs are standing together to advocate for a program they believe changes lives, not just through training, but through opportunity, structure, and a second chance at success.
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