CHICOPEE, Mass. - Dozens of people graduated from the Westover Job Corps on Tuesday at Elms College, and a handful of state legislators gathered outside to speak out against possible closures and layoffs within the program.  

Job Corps is the largest free residential education and job training program for people ages 16 to 24, and its supporters believe ending it would cut off a key lifeline for young people throughout the country.

The Trump Administration contends the Job Corps operates at a $140 million deficit, and fails to deliver safe and successful outcomes.

State Senator Jake Oliveira (D- Hampden, Hampshire and Worcester) said the program has proven to be a valuable asset to the community.

“At Westover Job Corps, there are nearly 250 residential students that participate in the program that could be left without housing, without workforce opportunities and without job opportunities by a truly reckless administration in Washington, D.C. that is continuing to unconstitutionally cut essential programs that we have in our country to help people get ahead,” Oliveira said.

A recent U.S. District Court ruling temporarily blocked the Trump Administration’s attempt to close programs nationwide, ruling the Department of Labor cannot eliminate the program without authorization from Congress.

Oliveira was joined outside Elms College by two colleagues - State Representative Brian Ashe (D-2nd Hampden) and State Representative Shirley Arriaga (D)-8th Hampden).

“At a time right now when we’re looking at so many industries that don’t have a backfill of people to start working there, whatever the field is, to cut programs like this is so detrimental, not to their futures, but the future of Western Massachusetts and the future of our country,” Ashe said.

The Department of Labor initially announced plans to close Job Corps programs in May with a deadline of June 30, citing significant financial challenges.

The Department also reported the average cost per student each year is roughly $80,000.

Arriaga believes there are plenty of local success stories, however.

“They want to work, these are individuals who might need an alternative route,” Arriaga said. “Regular school wasn’t it for them, and this is a lifeline. Taking programs and resources away from folks who want to better themselves is terrible, to say the least.”