In case you missed it, the federal government recently christened April as “Second Chance Month,” with the purpose of promoting the idea of people formerly incarcerated for low-level and non-violent offenses finding a healthy and productive path to rejoining society. Even before that concept had its own month, the RV Technical Institute has long recognized that low-level offenders, often those with limited educational and employment prospects, could be a ripe source for attracting more people into the world of becoming an RV technician, which continues to be a trade that is in high demand.
This report on the status of those endeavors is courtesy of the RV Industry Association.
Recently established by the federal government, Second Chance Month takes place throughout the month of April, and reaffirms the importance of helping those who were formerly incarcerated re-enter society.
According to the White House press release, more than 640,000 people are released from state and Federal prisons each year. Currently, more than 70 million Americans have a criminal record, creating significant barriers to employment, economic stability and successful re-entry into society. As a result, nearly 75 percent of people who were formerly incarcerated remain unemployed a year after being released.
Affirming its desire to support those seeking employment post-release, the RV Technical Institute has been establishing its hands-on, competency-based technician training program among the incarcerated population, specifically with the Westville Correctional Facility, located in Indiana, and the Linda Woodman State Jail in Texas. The goal is twofold: the RV industry delivers a greater number of qualified service technicians while previously incarcerated individuals leave with a new skillset, prepared to enter the workforce upon their release.
“The program looks to be gaining positive attention with the rest of the prison population,” said Shane Schwartzkopf, an RVTI instructor at the Westville facility. “In the future I look to expand the program into other facilities in the area, if possible, and to generate a plethora of skilled technicians willing and able to begin their careers within the RV industry.”
Graduates of the Westville program also participate in the Hoosier Initiative for Re-Entry (HIRE) program. The program offers job readiness training, such as resume development, interviewing, job application assistance, employment assessments, financial literacy and budgeting, computer/digital literacy, employability skills and workplace conflict resolution. HIRE representatives will work directly with the returning citizen and potential employers in the RV industry for job placement.
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