U.S. Department of Labor and Florida Department of Military Affairs Partner to Train At-Risk Youth with Job Corps Demonstration Project

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor and the Florida Department of Military Affairs today announced a new Job Corps demonstration project to serve at-risk youth with job skills instruction through an expansion of the Florida National Guard Youth ChalleNGe program at Camp Blanding near Starke, Florida.

“The Department of Labor is committed to ensuring that American students receive high-quality workforce development opportunities. This demonstration project will help the Department assess the effectiveness of different approaches to helping students learn skills for jobs,” said Molly E. Conway, Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training.

“The Florida National Guard looks forward to continued work establishing the Department of Labor-sponsored Jobs Challenge Program in our state. Already kick-started with $1.3 million in renovation funding for our Youth Challenge infrastructure from the Department of Defense, the Jobs Challenge Program will offer career and technical education that will set Youth Challenge Cadets on a solid career path after completion of their initial 5-1/2 month residential phase of training,” said Major General Michael A. Calhoun, Adjutant General of Florida.

With a grant from the Department of Labor, Job ChalleNGe will expand and enhance the Youth ChalleNGe program’s skills components over a five-month period to eligible participants to set them on a pathway to employment. The program will include the recruitment of Job Corps-eligible youth; occupational skills instruction and credentialing; individualized career and academic counseling; leadership development activities that encourage responsibility, employability, and other positive behaviors; employer engagement; and job placement.

The Job ChalleNGe program is intended to serve 100 participants annually, in two cohorts of 50 cadets.