Henderson Mayor Melissa Elliott is going to bat for the future of the Kittrell Job Corps, which faces possible elimination in the recently passed FY26 budget that was signed into law on July 4.
Elliott sent letters to North Carolina Senators Thom Tillis and Ted Budd, as well as U.S. Congressman Don Davis.
The Kittrell Job Corps is one of 99 Job Corps centers, which provide residential programs designed to help low-income youth achieve education and career goals.
Although the program had been scheduled to be shut down on June 30 when the fiscal year ended, a temporary restraining order put in place days before has put a pause on the closures until a judge can rule on the matter.
Elliott told WIZS that she had traveled to Washington, D.C. to talk with the office of U.S. Rep. Don Davis about the matter.
Here’s the text of the letters, which were dated July 15, 2025:
“I’m writing to express strong support for the Kittrell Job Corps Center and to oppose the President’s FY26 budget proposal to eliminate the Job Corps program. I’m also deeply concerned about the current halt on student background checks, which has left over 12,000 young people in limbo and stalled their path to a better future.
As a proud Job Corps graduate and now Mayor of the City of Henderson, I have seen firsthand how this program transforms lives and strengthens communities. The Kittrell Job Corps Center trains more than 500 young adults annually. These students earn industry-recognized credentials in fields such as Culinary Arts, Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), Facility Maintenance, Medical Administrative Assistant, Brick Masonry, Security Protective Services, and Advanced Human Services—often leading to full-time employment within months of graduation. At the same time, the campus directly supports approximately 135 staff jobs and injects over $15 million in federal funding into our region’s economy.
One example is Jerae York, a 23-year-old graduate who earned his high school diploma and Security Protective Services credentials at Kittrell before enlisting in the U.S. Navy. Now earning over $22 per hour and serving on active duty, Jerae credits Job Corps as the best thing that has happened in his life.
These are real outcomes. Real futures. Real value.
I respectfully urge you to contact the U.S. Department of Labor and the White House immediately to demand the resumption of student enrollments and continued funding for the Job Corps program. The loss of Kittrell would be devastating for my community.
Thank you for your leadership and commitment to North Carolina’s youth.”
