Blue Ridge Job Corps in Marion asks Smyth County for outreach after near-closure; program numbers low

Heather Goodpasture, outreach and admissions manager at Blue Ridge Job Corps in Marion (speaker 8), told the board the center received notice that Job Corps would have to shut down but that the National Job Corps Association obtained an injunction and the local center has remained in a state of temporary extension. Goodpasture said student counts fell sharply after the announced closures and she urged the county to help with outreach and publicity; she reported the center currently enrolls about 34'35 students.

“National government tried to shut down a 60 year program in 4 days,” Goodpasture said, describing how centers across the country faced abrupt closures and how the Marion center worked to retain students. She said the shortened timeline deprived outreach efforts of time to capture graduating high-school students and that the center's advertising budget is small; she asked local leaders to help distribute flyers, support mailers and amplify the program in local schools and media.

Board members and residents asked about program partnerships and remote training options for cybersecurity and nursing pathways. Goodpasture said some certifications and clinical pathways can be offered in partnership with community colleges (the local reference included Highlands) and that staff are working to expand program options if the center remains open. She also noted that many Job Corps services—housing, certifications and career-transition assistance—are free to eligible students and cited the program's long national track record.

No formal board action was recorded during the presentation; several members pledged to assist with outreach and communications to support enrollment and to coordinate with local education and workforce partners.