Hilo, Hawai‘i – The Hawaiʻi National Guard Youth Challenge Academy in Hilo will be changing its name, who can participate, and its mission. The new name is the Hawaii Job Challenge Academy- Hilo. It will still be associated with the Hawaiʻi National Guard and will still assist some Hilo residents, and it is going to become the fifth phase of the Youth Challenge program.

The Youth Challenge Academy- Kalaeloa, on Oahu, will now be the only program offering the first four phases- Recruitment, Acclimation, Residential, and Post-Residential. This is identified as the Basic Challenge Program, still open to 16–18-year-old, at-promise youth to learn the life skills necessary to become responsible, successful, and productive citizens in their community while affording them the opportunity to earn their High School Equivalency Diploma.  

“The Hilo program is changing due to low enrollment,” said Maj. Gen. Kenneth Hara, Hawaiʻi adjutant general. “However, all interested applicants from Hilo will still be able to participate in the Basic Challenge Program at our Kalaeloa campus. Then they have the option to continue in the program and return to Hilo for the final phase, the Job Challenge Academy.”

The Hawaiʻi Job Challenge Academy- Hilo will accept applicants who have completed the Basic Challenge Program at Kalaeloa or past classes from the Hilo campus. Job Challenge participants must be between 16 and 20 years of age on the first day of the Job Challenge Residential phase. Preference will be given to participants from the immediately preceding Youth Challenge class.

The new Hilo program will also recruit statewide from previous Youth Challenge classes. And the Kalaeloa program will also recruit statewide to fill their ranks.

“The biggest benefits of this change are now the Kalaeloa program will increase its enrollment, keeping it safe,” said Bruce Oliveira, Civilian Military Programs director. “And it gives Hawaiʻi a new phase to the Youth Challenge providing them with an additional 5.5 months of structure and support.”

The new Job Challenge Academy- Hilo also gives Youth Challenges graduates the opportunity to gain a postsecondary education credential, such as a certificate of course completion, as well as an industry-based certification that they can use as currency in the job market or an apprenticeship as an entry point into an occupational trade. All Job Challenge participants will earn college credits that they can further build on toward an associate or a bachelor’s degree. Finally, additional college-based credentials also enhance military enlistment eligibility, affording applicants a choice from a fuller range of occupations and potentially a higher paygrade on entry for those who choose to enlist in the military.

Some of the partners of the Job Challenge Academy are Hawaiʻi Community College, the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, Hawaiʻi Institute of Healthcare and Training Services, Associated Builders and Contractors, the American Red Cross and the Hawaiʻi Rise Foundation.