Strengthening Job Corps Act of 2025

Expanded Eligibility for Individuals: The bill expands the group of people eligible for the program by including pregnant individuals, low-income individuals, and residents of qualified opportunity zones (Section 2(b)).

Age Extensions for Specific Groups: The Secretary is granted the authority to waive the maximum age limit of 24 up to age 28 for individuals with a disability or justice-involved individuals (Section 2(b)).

Employment Opportunities for Graduates: Graduates of Civilian Conservation Centers who complete training in forestry, wildland firefighting, or related topics can be hired directly into positions with the Department of Agriculture, Forest Service (Section 2(d)).

Improved Transition Support: The bill allows Job Corps graduates to remain a resident on a campus for up to one month after graduation to help them transition into employment and independent living (Section 2(f)).

Streamlined Application Process: The legislation allows for the development of joint applications, which could enable applicants to submit a single application for Job Corps, YouthBuild, and other youth workforce activities (Section 2(c)).

Improved Staffing Standards: The bill requires that staffing plans include hourly wages and benefits that are at least equal to the wage determination of the locality, aiming for equivalency with local public education providers (Section 2(k)).

Strict Disciplinary Policies: The bill establishes a "zero tolerance policy" where campus directors have the authority to automatically dismiss enrollees for acts of violence that endanger students, staff, or the community, or for engaging in illegal activity (Section 2(h)).

Requirement for Performance Improvement: Job Corps campuses ranked in the lowest 10 percent are subject to performance improvement actions and may be the target of experimental or research projects (Section 2(d) and Section 2(i)).