The county prison board of directors has approved a pre-apprenticeship program for certain inmates at the Butler County Prison.

The pilot program would involve 10 inmates being selected by prison officials and taken to Butler County Community College for classes and hands-on learning in Penn United Technologies’ pre-apprentice program.

Scott Covert, training coordinator at Penn United, pitched the idea to the prison board on Tuesday morning.

Covert would be the primary teacher for the classes, which would be held from 8:30 a.m. to noon, Monday through Friday, for eight weeks.

The prison’s commissary fund will pay the flat $15,000 for the pilot program, and the prison board will seek grants going forward should the program succeed, said Kevin Boozel, county commissioner and prison board member.

Classes are slated to begin in the spring.

This is a breaking news article. Pick up Wednesday’s Butler Eagle or subscribe online to read more about how the program will work, and the possible savings the program will bring.