Maui Job Corps says it is making steady progress toward its goal of admitting 100 new students by Christmas, following three weeks of consistent demand for campus tours.
The center is encouraging eligible youth ages 16-24 to take advantage of remaining openings that offer free, nationally recognized career training and high school diploma pathways.
"Momentum is growing," said Dan O'Neill, admissions counselor. "The volume of requests has kept us hosting daily tours, and many parents and youth tell us they didn't realize how much opportunity Job Corps provides. One grandmother told me 'This opportunity for ... to attend Job Corps is an answer to prayer for this grandmother. Mahalo.'"
According to O'Neill, some families are struck by the campus setting and the supportive, college-like atmosphere.
"People don't expect a setting that looks and feels like a college," O'Neill said. "Students have evenings and weekends free, instructors are measured on student success and the training is hands-on and realistic -- designed to transition students into real jobs."
Visitors also met current students advancing to San Francisco for advanced culinary training, UH Maui College and local trade apprenticeships, some of whom earned their Penn Foster high school diploma through Job Corps.
As a federally funded program, Maui Job Corps offers residential or commuter career training at no cost to participants or their families. Training pathways include:
Maui Job Corps has existed since 1989, serving youth from Maui, Moloka'i, Lana'i and Hawai'i Island, providing a structured, supportive environment for young adults seeking stability and opportunity.
To make enrollment more accessible, the program has increased support services, including:
Referrals are accepted on a rolling basis. Maui Job Corps encourages community members to refer eligible youth who may benefit from training, structure and a path toward long-term employment.
Who can refer:
Parents, guardians, teachers, school counselors, youth service providers, nonprofits, churches, community members.