For many students, the Pinellas County Job Corps Center was more than just a school— it was a lifeline. “This place is where second chances happen and miracles happen,” one student told 10 Tampa Bay. “This place became my miracle.” But now, that miracle is abruptly ending. Hundreds of students have been told they must leave the center immediately, leaving many like Johnston with nowhere to go. “I really hope this place doesn’t shut down,” said Aislin Johnston, her bags packed as she and her peers face an uncertain future. “I was in the process of transitioning out, and the news blindsided us.” The Pinellas facility is among many across the nation impacted by a sudden pause ordered by the U.S. Department of Labor. The agency is conducting an internal review of the Job Corps program, which reportedly faces serious financial challenges. “It’s inhumane. It’s heartless,” Askia Aquil, the President of the Pinellas County Job Corp community relations, said in response to the decision. “If the program needs to be evaluated or reformed, then do that — but do it in a sensible, business-like, humane manner.” MORE: https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/pinellascounty/pinellas-county-job-corps-closure/67-e90dac41-48d4-4414-941a-d5900d4728b4