‘We’re back in action’: Maine Job Corps Centers reopening for enrollment
Posted on November 21, 2025 | News
Author: Drew Peters
Published: 6:34 PM EST November 20, 2025
Updated: 7:49 PM EST November 20, 2025
MAINE, USA — Maine’s two Job Corps centers are once again accepting students, following a months-long enrollment freeze that left many young adults and workforce organizations uncertain about the future.
The Penobscot and Loring Job Corps centers are now open for applications from young Mainers seeking hands-on career training and support.
“Not having new students coming in stalled things, but I think we’re back in action,” said Lee Umphrey, former director of the Penobscot center and CEO of the Eastern Maine Development Corporation (EMDC).
Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Labor temporarily paused enrollment at all Job Corps centers across the country, citing rising costs and sustainability concerns. The decision halted new student intake in Maine and other states starting in April.
“It’s an opportunity they don’t have any place else,” Umphrey said. “They have a place to live, they have food, they have health care, and they get training.”
Umphrey says the decision to lift the freeze came after significant public and political pressure — including from Maine’s congressional delegation.
“Because there was such pushback, we were able to overcome that,” he said. “And because our congressional delegation fought so hard, we had that lifted.”
Senator Susan Collins was among the lawmakers who directly challenged Labor Department officials during federal budget discussions.
“Job Corps Centers serve nearly 500 students in Maine each year and have become important pillars of support for some of our most vulnerable teenagers,” Collins said.
Among those working closely with students is Brianna Lavin, who works as a workforce development specialist at EMDC and helps guide graduates into future careers.
“They feel like it’s an opportunity to grow, and they look at it as something that’s always really positive,” Levine said.
She connects students with job boards, resume support, and other local resources. She says the training and community students gain at Job Corps are essential tools for success.
“You see them determined and excited and passionate about something they’re doing — and that really shows in their work,” she added.
With Maine employers continuing to struggle to find and retain workers, leaders like Umphrey say programs like Job Corps are more important than ever.
“Businesses are looking for people and having a hard time keeping people, so job training systems like Job Corps are places to strengthen that,” he said.
And as new students arriving once again, they hope to help close the gap in Maine’s workforce — one graduate at a time.