New Keystone Job Corps Center dorms to be ready this fall

The second set of new dorms at Keystone Job Corps Center in Drums, Pennsylvania will be completed soon. The new dorms are identical to another set of dorms completed at the center in 2004. Each dorm has capacity for 148 students.

Work is being completed by Allied Construction of Dallas. Additionally, local area plumbers, carpenters and sheet metal workers are also participating in the large project. Combined with the previously completed dorms, the entire project has a $10-million price tag. The new structures are expected to be completed in November.

When the previous dorms were completed, some of the Keystone center’s older buildings – many of them residence halls – were torn down to make room for the buildings now under construction. However, Job Corps Center Director Tom Fitzwater said that may not happen again, when the new structures are completed. Instead, he says the Department of Labor may authorize Keystone to begin accepting more Job Corps students than the 600 it is now allotted.

In addition to the new dorms, the rural Pennsylvania center will also be home to a new $450,000 air condition system in its dining hall and recreation buildings. A $30,000 upgrade to the air conditioning system at the center’s academics building was completed recently as well.

One out of every three current Keystone students is studying health care programs. This summer the center graduated its third class of licensed practical nurses (LPNs).

(Posted 9/22/06)

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