BATH COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — Nearly 100 Job Corps locations nationwide are being put on a “phased pause” by the end of June.
These programs provide 16-24 year olds from disadvantaged backgrounds an opportunity to enter several different fields, including concrete masonry.
Zack Jackson, a student in the Cement Masonry program at Frenchburg Job Corps Civilian Conservation Center, credits the program with changing his life.
"Honestly, I'd probably be dead or in jail in prison right now if it wasn't because of Job Corps," Jackson said.
The Bowling Green native was involved in gang activity and addicted to hard drugs before finding his calling as a mason through the program.
"I was in and out of trouble a whole bunch involved with the wrong people and was just digging myself deeper and deeper in the hole," Jackson said.
Jackson and his crew are currently working on finishing a helipad project in Bath County. In addition to the helipad, the group has also completed various community projects, including Salt Lick's basketball courts, pavilion, and sidewalks.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, students in the Frenchburg Job Corps program clocked more than 22,000 hours of work on community projects in 2024.
The benefit is not only for the communities they serve, but also for those looking for a second chance.
"It's helped me make plans for my future and just stabilize," Jackson said.
Jason Horton, another student in the program, was forced to transfer to Frenchburg after Whitley County's center was put on pause earlier this year. Horton is hoping he can finish the learning process before Frenchburg is also shut down.
"I planned my life in cement," Horton said. "I like it a lot and but also need it at the same time. It's gonna help me through my life so much."
The students' stories highlight the importance of programs like Job Corps, which provide opportunities for troubled youth to get their lives back on track.
"Before here, I just, I tried getting chances and stuff, and nowhere ever works," Jackson said.
