A New Beginning: How Partnership and Purpose Changed Cory Spotts’ Future
When news spread in 2025 that Job Corps campuses across the nation would be closing, fear and uncertainty quickly followed. For many students, Job Corps had been more than a training program. It had been stability, support, and home. Suddenly, many young people faced an uncertain future, with some even turning to homeless shelters as they searched for a place to go.
When Workforce Solutions East Texas learned about the closures, the organization knew immediate action was needed. A conversation with community partner Jarvis Christian University sparked a collaboration that would become a lifeline for displaced students.
Like many others, Cory Spotts did not know where to turn when the closure announcement came. During exit counseling sessions, students learned about an opportunity at Jarvis Christian University that offered far more than education. Jarvis stepped forward to provide housing, meals, school supplies, clothing, counseling services, academic support, and spiritual guidance, creating a safe and supportive environment for students trying to rebuild their futures.
Dr. Glenell M. Lee Pruitt, President of Jarvis Christian University, summed up the university’s mission simply: “If they’re talking about closing Job Corps, there has to be a safety net for these young people. Jarvis will be that safety net.”
To further support students’ long-term success, Jarvis partnered with Workforce Solutions East Texas to create meaningful Work Experience opportunities. These placements allowed students to earn income, strengthen their skills, and gain valuable hands-on experience while continuing their education.
For Cory, the impact was life-changing. “I can definitely say it broadened my horizons,” he shared. “I love going to work. I really look forward to working every day.”
Through the WIOA Youth program and Workforce Solutions East Texas, Cory found more than employment opportunities. He found encouragement, guidance, and a community invested in his success. When Workforce staff discovered he did not have a computer to complete his schoolwork, they worked together to provide one, removing another barrier to his future.
Cory recently completed his Work Experience placement with the IT department at Jarvis and has since transitioned to an On-the-Job Training opportunity in the same department, continuing to build his career path in information technology.
For Dr. Dorothy Langley, the Dean for Adult and Continuing Education & the Project Lead for Workforce Initiatives at Jarvis, who helped develop the partnership between Jarvis and Workforce Solutions East Texas, the collaboration holds deep meaning. “What my president did, that vision she had to pull us all together to work for young people, it just means a lot. This has blessed our souls.” Steve Lynch, the Collaboration Manager for Workforce Solutions East Texas, further elaborated that the partnership changed the lives of not only the impacted students but also of all individuals involved. For him and the team at Workforce, seeing the impact of the partnership left many in awe of the work that had been done. He reflected on the fact that many of the Job Corp students might have been homeless and how this partnership changed their path immensely. “We serve people. What are their outcomes? Are they better off?” Steve reflected, “When I hear the stories, are they better off? They are so much better. They were given an opportunity, a new beginning. I think that’s the mission of Workforce.”
For Cory Spotts and many other students, that new beginning became possible because a community chose to step forward when they needed it most. Together, Workforce Solutions East Texas and Jarvis Christian University transformed uncertainty into opportunity, proving that hope can still thrive when people come together with purpose.
