America Working Forward
A project profiling the people and programs that are building pathways to employment for formerly incarcerated individuals.
America Working Forward was created by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation in 2019 to explore employer-led programs that give inmates and ex-offenders training and support as they re-enter the workforce. We took an in-depth look at some of the businesses, entrepreneurs, and nonprofits who are building pathways to employment for formerly incarcerated individuals.
The Magazine
This issue of America Working Forward takes an in-depth look at some of the businesses, entrepreneurs, and nonprofits who are building pathways to employment for formerly incarcerated individuals.
The Stories
Grocers: A New Source of Skilled Retail Workers
The value proposition for Uplift’s workforce training program is pretty clear: spend six weeks in the classroom learning some of the soft and hard skills required to succeed in the workforce, and one of the group’s partners will give you a job.
Uplift’s goal is to keep ex-offenders in and around Philadelphia from returning to prison. Thanks to its partnership with local employers, Uplift reports that only a tiny percentage of the people who complete the training program are rearrested or reincarcerated.
Original photography by Jessica Kourkanis
Philadelphia, PA - ARPIL 27, 2019: Wayne Garrett, 45, manages the dairy section at ShopRite in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on April 27, 2019 as a participant in Uplift. The re-entry workforce program is a supermarket based, on the job training program designed to create second chance employment opportunities for re-entering citizens. The program develops hard and soft skills and each participant that completes the six-week classroom portion of the program will be hired by BrownÕs Supermarket in Philadelphia. (Jessica Kourkounis)
Philadelphia, PA - ARPIL 27, 2019: Debra Wayne, 45, works as the seafood manager at Fresh Grocer in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on April 27, 2019 as a participant in Uplift. The re-entry workforce program is a supermarket based, on the job training program designed to create second chance employment opportunities for re-entering citizens. The program develops hard and soft skills and each participant that completes the six-week classroom portion of the program will be hired by BrownÕs Supermarket in Philadelphia. (Jessica Kourkounis)
ROXBOROUGH, PA - ARPIL 27, 2019: Lashawna Bennett, 43, works as the assistant manager at Superfresh in Roxborough, Pennsylvania on April 27, 2019 as a participant in Uplift. The re-entry workforce program is a supermarket based, on the job training program designed to create second chance employment opportunities for re-entering citizens. The program develops hard and soft skills and each participant that completes the six-week classroom portion of the program will be hired by BrownÕs Supermarket in Philadelphia. (Jessica Kourkounis)
Women Welders Rebuild Indiana’s Workforce
The tight labor market makes it hard for businesses of all kinds to hire enough workers.
Welders are among those in demand, especially in Indiana, where a new program responds to employer needs by giving female inmates the skills to join the workforce when they’re released from state prison.
More than 200 women have gone through the Ivy Tech Community College program since December 2017, including a number who now belong to the small community of women welders.
Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb singled out the program during this year’s state of the state address. “Given the urgency around strengthening our workforce, we can’t afford to overlook anyone, especially those who want to earn a second chance,” he told lawmakers.
Original photography by Alex Slitz
Brittany Young, of Madison, Ind., demonstrates mig welding at Vehicle Service Group in Madison, Thursday, April 18, 2019. Young was the first woman to earn her welding certification at Ivy Tech Community college while she was incarcerated at Madison Correctional Facility for dealing drugs. Young was drawn to welding for the high demand, "The program saved my life," she said. (Alex Slitz)
Holly Fields, of Lawrenceburg, Ind., in the weld lab at Ivy Tech Community College in Madison, Ind., Thursday, April 18, 2019. Fields is currently incarcerated at Madison Correctional Facility for fraud and was drawn to welding for a chance to learn a new skill, work with her hands and connect with her son who is also a welder. (Alex Slitz)
Latia Henkel, of Indianapolis, Ind., in the weld lab at Ivy Tech Community College in Madison, Ind., Thursday, April 18, 2019., Henkel is currently incarcerated at Madison Correctional Facility for drug related charges and is scheduled to be released in 2020. She was drawn to welding for her love of cars and hopes to build a 1965 Shelby GT350 Fastback one day. (Alex Slitz)
Current inmates at Madison Correctional Facility enter the weld lab at Ivy Tech Community College in Madison, Ind., Thursday, April 18, 2019. (Alex Slitz)
Wesley Kristin, of Lafayette, of Lafayette, Ind., demonstrated metal cutting in the weld lab at Ivy Tech Community College in Madison, Ind., Thursday, April 18, 2019. Kristin is currently incarcerated at Madison Correctional Facility for neglect of a dependent. She was drawn to welding since her father was a welder and the hopes of making more than minimum wage, "this gives me a fighting chance to make it in society," she said. (Alex Slitz)
Ashleigh Hall of Indianapolis, Ind., demonstrates using a plasma cutter in the weld lab at Ivy Tech Community College in Madison, Ind., Thursday, April 18, 2019. Hall is currently incarcerated at Madison Correctional Facility for strong arm robbery and expects to be released in December 2019. She was drawn to welding with hopes of finding a job in Indianapolis upon release. (Alex Slitz)
Industrial technology professor Ron Novak, of Madison, Ind., left, works with Ashleigh Hall of Indianapolis, Ind., as she demonstrates using a plasma cutter in the weld lab at Ivy Tech Community College in Madison, Ind., Thursday, April 18, 2019. Hall is currently incarcerated at Madison Correctional Facility for strong arm robbery and expects to be released in December 2019. She was drawn to welding with hopes of finding a job in Indianapolis upon release. at Ivy Tech Community College in Madison, Ind., Thursday, April 18, 2019. (Alex Slitz)
Jessica Barton, of Kalamazoo, Mich, in the weld lab at Ivy Tech Community College in Madison, Ind., Thursday, April 18, 2019. Barton is currently incarcerated at Madison Correctional Facility for possession and distribution of methamphetamines and will be released in May, 2019. She was drawn to welding for the opportunity of a finding a job in manufacturing when she is released. (Alex Slitz)
Holly Fields, of Lawrenceburg, Ind.,left, shakes hands with Resource Mfg. staff manager Christel Copeland, of Madison, Ind., during a job fair at Ivy Tech Community College in Madison, Ind., Thursday, April 18, 2019. Fields is currently incarcerated at Madison Correctional Facility for fraud and was drawn to welding for a chance to learn a new skill, work with her hands and connect with her son who is also a welder. (Alex Slitz)
Ashleigh Hall of Indianapolis, Ind., speaks with potential employers during a job fair at Ivy Tech Community College in Madison, Ind., Thursday, April 18, 2019. Hall is currently incarcerated at Madison Correctional Facility for strong arm robbery and expects to be released in December 2019. She was drawn to welding with hopes of finding a job in Indianapolis upon release.
Latia Henkel, of Indianapolis, Ind., left, speaks with Bobbie Carter, of Connersville, Ind., during a job fair at Ivy Tech Community College in Madison, Ind., Thursday, April 18, 2019. Both women are incarcerated at Madison Correctional Facility and have earned their welding certification through Ivy Tech. (Alex Slitz)
Holly Fields, of Lawrenceburg, Ind., left, and Ashleigh Hall, of Indianapolis, Ind., wait to meet with potential employers during job fair at Ivy Tech Community College in Madison, Ind., Thursday, April 18, 2019. Both women ate certified welders and are currently incarcerated at Madison Correctional Facility. (Alex Slitz)
A poster board made by Latia Henkel, of Indianapolis, Ind., during a job fair at Ivy Tech Community College in Madison, Ind., Thursday, April 18, 2019., Henkel is currently incarcerated at Madison Correctional Facility for drug related charges and is scheduled to be released in 2020. Henkel says the poster represents her past, present and future. (Alex Slitz)
Bonus Videos
Coss Marte, founder of fitness company ConBody, shares how he went from the streets of New York City to felon to entrepreneur with a gym inside of Saks Fifth Avenue and a team of employees with criminal records of their own. Marte’s stated mission is “to change the way society sees formerly incarcerated individuals.” This is Coss’ story.
Across Michigan, 400 businesses are hoping to hire graduates of the Vocational Village program, where 66 percent have jobs waiting for them before parole. The first-of-its-kind training program is a result of a partnership between Michigan and businesses to give prisoners marketable skills in high-demand fields like robotics and automotive technology.
Project JumpStart is a pre-apprenticeship training program that provides classroom and hands-on training to Baltimore City residents. It trains low-income city residents to enter the building trades on a construction career track that will help them advance beyond the entry-level.
Partners
Latest Content
This issue of America Working Forward takes an in-depth look at some of the businesses, entrepreneurs, and nonprofits who are building pathways to employment for formerly incarcerated individuals.
A Q&A with David Rattray, executive vice president of the Center for Education Excellence and Talent Development at the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce
An entrepreneur does the time, then starts a successful fitness craze.
