GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Caleb Hunget, a 22-year-old from Cadillac, Michigan, finds hope in the midst of uncertainty after a federal judge issued an injunction Wednesday, ordering the Department of Labor to cease its shutdown of the Job Corps program.
Hunget, who was attending the program at Gerald R. Ford Job Corps center in Grand Rapids for three months, says it has been a challenging period after he was asked to leave the campus in early June.
"I am actually still working on my GED. I still have access to that thankfully," said Hunget. "Job wise, I mean, it's been kind of difficult. I think I have one lined up that they'll hire me for."
He had been working towards obtaining a job in security before the U.S. Department of Labor announced it was shuttering all of it's 99 contract-owned Job Corps centers across the nation in late May due to a low success rate and high costs.
"I've gained a few certifications for the security trade. I didn't get my GED done in that time, you know. But other than that, I would say it definitely has helped me prepare for that," Hunget explained.
On Wednesday, a federal judge granted a preliminary injunction against the U.S. Department of Labor, preventing the shutdown of the Job Corps program nationwide. The ruling stops the department from removing students from housing, terminating jobs, or suspending the program without Congressional approval.
This legal move follows a lawsuit filed by a trade group representing Job Corps contractors, saying that the department violated federal law and its own regulations.
The injunction offers a possible lifeline for participants across the country as Job Corps contractors and students await further developments.
Despite ongoing difficulties in securing employment, Hunget remains optimistic, having lined up a possible job opportunity.
"I hope every Job Corps that did get shut down can reopen," Hunget expressed. "And I hope everybody has a chance to go back, instead of having to go through the application process again, you know, and having to get accepted again."
Although Hunget is uncertain whether he will return to the program, he hopes it will continue.
"I had friends there. I've known people there at Job Corps, where that was, like their last lifeline. That was their home," he remarked.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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