Blow for Kenyan Students in US as Trump's Administration Suspends Operations in Job Corps Centres

• The US President Donald Trump's administration announced it would halt operations in Job Corps centres across the country
• The Department of Labour highlighted that under its existing operational framework, the Corps programme has huge financial challenges
• The programme operated at a deficit of $140 million (KSh 18 billion) in 2024, and by 2025, the gap is expected to have grown to $213 million (KSh 27.5 billion)

TUKO.co.ke journalist Japhet Ruto has over eight years of experience in financial, business, and technology reporting and offers profound insights into Kenyan and global economic trends.

Kenyan students in the United States (US) pursuing vocational training through Job Corps face a significant setback following the President Donald Trump administration’s decision to suspend operations.

Why did the US suspend operations in Job Corps centres?

The US Department of Labour declared that it would start a phased shutdown of contractor-run Job Corps centres across the country, citing high operational costs.

The department noted that the operations will be suspended from Monday, June 30.

"Through education, training, and community service, Job Corps was established to assist young adults in developing a path to a better life. However, our comprehensive fiscal analysis and a staggering number of severe incident reports show that the programme is no longer producing the desired results that students deserve. As we assess the programme's potential, we are still dedicated to making sure all participants are helped during this transition and have access to the tools they require to be successful," Labour Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer explained in a statement.

While the programme primarily serves US citizens and lawful permanent residents, some Kenyan students who qualify as refugees or asylees and are enrolled are affected by the pause, which halts training and job placement services pending a performance review.

"The federal government is trimming its budget. Anytime there are budget cuts, the government always targets education first," William Kimani, a Kenyan in the US, told TUKO.co.ke.

Which challenges did Job Corps centres face?

The Department of Labour highlighted that under its existing operational framework, the Job Corps programme has huge financial challenges.

The programme operated at a deficit of $140 million (KSh 18 billion) in 2024, and by 2025, the gap is expected to have grown to $213 million (KSh 27.5 billion).

The first-ever Job Corps Transparency Report, published on April 25, 2025, by the department's employment and training administration, examined the operating expenses and financial performance.

An overview of the general results showed that the average annual cost per student is $80,284.65 (KSh 10.4 million).

The report disclosed that participants earn $16,695 (KSh 2.15 million) annually on average.

However, 14,923 serious incidents were reported in the centres, including cases of violence, drug abuse, breach of security and inappropriate behaviours.

Why did the US halt student visa interviews?

In other news, amid plans to increase social media vetting, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has directed all US embassies to stop interviewing applicants for new student and exchange visas.

Officers will be directed to examine posts on social media sites like Instagram, X, and TikTok as part of the new policy, which will apply to all student visa applicants, not just those who have been flagged for activism.

Over a million overseas students contributed roughly KSh 5.7 trillion to the US economy during the 2023–2024 academic year, and this could disrupt US higher education.

Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.

Source: TUKO.co.ke