Grafton Job Corps Protected, Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, Passed!

The Blackstone Valley Hub for Workforce Development is glad to hear on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, the House passed and the President signed into law the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026. Within this law is funding to continue Job Corps operations through at least June 2027, accompanied by new legal restrictions on Job Corp campus closures. 

Job Corps offers thousands of students across our country the opportunity to attain credentials leading toward self-sufficiency, and it is an important service offered in Central MA. As a training program provider for Grafton Job Corps we could not be more relieved for our hardworking students and instructors. 

According to our Advanced Manufacturing Instructor, Tal Stebbins,

“Saving Job Corps means protecting opportunity. I am excited to continue our mission of educating and training today’s youth for successful careers in the manufacturing industry.”

Under Stebbins tutelage our current cohort of Grafton Job Corps students are already proving to be fast learners. In order to graduate the program they attain 3 (NIMS)  National Institute for MetalWorking Skills credentials:

• Measurement, Materials & Safety

• CNC Lathe Operator

• CNC Mill Operator

As mentioned in our earlier blog, our most recent program graduates of this program are actively engaged in Work-Based Learning at Algonquin Industries. We are proud of the impactful work we do with Grafton Job Corps. And we are grateful they have a year of guaranteed protections through the Consolidated Appropriations Act.