LETTERS: JOB CORPS EDUCATES, TRAINS AT-RISK WORKERS

To the editor:

With presidential campaigns under way, much time and energy is spent by President Clinton and Bob Dole debating issues on which they disagree. It is, however, refreshing to note they both believe in one program: Job Corps.

During the past 32 years, Job Corps has enjoyed strong bipartisan support. During the appropriations process in the House of Representatives this year, a record number of congressmen representing both political parties presented testimony on behalf of the Job Corps program. In fact, I am proud that the late Congressman Bill Emerson of Cape Girardeau was one of 81 members of Congress to offer support for Job Corps at the appropriations hearings.

Job Corps is a U.S. Department of Labor-funded program to serve at-risk youths between the ages of 16 and 24 in need of education, vocational training and social skills. Because of its residential nature, Job Corps has been effective in preparing a large number of at-risk youth who would slip into more costly alternatives such as welfare dependency, incarceration and unemployment.

Policymakers support Job Corps for the right reason. Nationally, 73 percent of Job Corps students receive jobs, join the military or go on to further education. Before entering Job Corps, 69 percent of those same students never held a full-time job. This statement says Job Corps is working to turn America's at-risk youth into self-sufficient, taxpaying members of society.

Regardless of the campaign rhetoric, it is great to know that there are elected officials who still do what's right when it comes to supporting cost-effective programs that help our young people.

BERNARD J. FENNELL, Director

Job Corps Center

Excelsior Springs, Mo.