Training to Work - Adult Reentry

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The Employment and Training Administration (ETA) has invested in five generations of Adult Reintegration of Ex-Offenders (RExO) programs, which historically have been employment-centered with a “Work First” component. However, lessons learned from these demonstration projects and input from our stakeholders (employers and state and local government agencies participating in the Secretary of Labor’s Employment Reentry Summit held in July 2012) indicate that ex-offenders have a better chance of attaining employment and achieving a higher degree of career growth if they acquire industry-recognized credentials. Additionally, we have learned that reentry is more successful when supportive services are begun prior to release. Work release programs allow an offender to work at paid employment or participate in a training program in the community on a voluntary basis while continuing as an inmate of the institution or facility to which he/she is committed. The purpose of these grants is to foster pre-release services and the attainment of industry-recognized credentials to improve the long-term workforce outcomes for previously incarcerated individuals. Based on lessons learned, the Training to Work-Adult Reentry program will provide training and employment services for inmates age 18 and older enrolled in state and/or local work-release programs. This includes persons enrolled in work release programs supervised by local jails. Some work release programs allow considerable freedom; allowing offenders who follow a work week schedule to attend work and live at their homes on those days, and serve their sentences two days at a time on weekends. Additionally, depending on the terms of the program, the offender may serve his or her sentence in a halfway house or home confinement while not working. Other work release programs can be offered to offenders who are nearing the end of their terms and looking for reintegration into community life, with a possible offer of full-time employment once the offender is released. The possibility of obtaining an industry-recognized credential, particularly if it can be attained prior to release, may add value to a work release program. The focus of this grant program is to help participants attain industry-recognized credentials for jobs in demand industries in their area prior to release or within 90 days after release from a state or local work release program.

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