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Ideas for Pilot Projects

Optional apprenticeship program components could be implemented as pilot projects where an initiative or partnership is already operating. Perhaps grant funds that have been awarded by organizations such as Women in Apprenticeships and Non-Traditional Occupations (WANTO) could be utilized to help develop these components, or additional grants could be awarded to partnering agencies to fund program components.

  • Portable certifications could be achieved to enhance offenders' employability across the nation. Examples are those provided by the National Institute of Metalworking Skills (NIMS) and the Computing Technology Industry Association (COMPTIA).
  • Funding could be pursued for high tech equipment - such as computer numerical control (CNC) systems for control of machine tools for manufacturing in plastic, wood, or metal - to develop marketable skills upon release.
  • Career Centers, such as those in communities funded by the Workforce Investment Act, could be located in prisons. This would provide necessary resources on the front end of the transition and would also train offenders on how to utilize these resources.
  • Tax credits for training, tools or transportation, similar to the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, could be developed for contractors who hire offenders. As an alternative, collaborative grants, such as the re-entry grants awarded to faith-based organizations, such as Connections to Success, could be awarded to agencies that build apprenticeships into these services.
  • The UNICOR Federal Bonding Program could be utilized. Federal Prison Industries, Inc., (UNICOR) has established a bonding program for all federal prisoners who were released after February 1, 2006, and were employed by UNICOR for at least six months during their incarceration. This program offers a unique opportunity for employers to receive bonding insurance, at no cost to inmates or their prospective employers.
  • Assessments and soft skills training could be implemented in prisons or Community Corrections Centers to enhance job retention. An example is Learning to Work It Out, a cognitive skills training based on job readiness.