Certain inmates could take manufacturing class
A pilot program at the Butler County Prison will enable certain inmates to participate in a Penn United Technologies manufacturing pre-apprentice program.
The prison board voted unanimously Tuesday to approve the program after a presentation by Scott Covert, training coordinator at Penn United Technologies.
Prison officials would select 10 inmates they believe would be best suited to attend classes taught mainly by Covert at Butler County Community College. They would take classes and learn on equipment at BC3's science and technology building, Covert said.
The manufacturing pre-apprentice classes would be held from 8 a.m. to noon, Monday through Friday, for eight weeks, said Covert.
Commissioner Kevin Boozel said that while the program will cost about $3,500 per inmate, Penn United in collaboration with BC3 has agreed to accept a flat rate of $15,000 for the pilot program.
That fee will come from the commissary fund at the jail, Boozel said.
Penn United and BC3 will apply for grants to fund the program going forward, should it prove successful.
“I have already spoken to one foundation that is interested in it,” Boozel said.
The program will begin in the spring, Boozel said.
Boozel explained that the stakeholders didn't want to wait until summer to see if they had received grants to pay for the program, so the flat $15,000 was accepted.
“Employers are searching for employees, so we wanted to get this started sooner rather than later,” he said.Social workers at the jail would conduct preliminary interviews with inmates potentially chosen for the program.If an inmate is lacking in math or other skills, he or she could brush up in the jail's GED classes, Boozel said.Boozel said corrections officers from the jail would transport the selected inmates to BC3 and remain with them there, but he said the students would not arrive for class cold.“Part of the program is getting the inmates into BC3 or Penn United to get their sea legs in that environment,” Boozel said.District Judge Timothy McCune said the board should consider advocating for a plan to allow inmates who are prohibited by court order from leaving the jail to participate in the pre-apprentice classes.If such a candidate cannot leave the jail, Boozel said, the classes would be held at the jail and presses, milling machines and other portable equipment could be brought in for students.“We're trying to keep these individuals together as a cohort,” Boozel said.He explained that inmates often don't like to appear to be accepting prison services, so keeping the same group together as they participate in the pre-apprentice program could ease the stigma.“There would be social support and networking with people in similar circumstances who are doing their darnedest to make a better life,” Boozel said. “If it's successful, it will grow roots.”Part of the reason for the program is that inmates often can make more money returning to crime after leaving the jail as opposed to working a minimum wage job.
With training, the inmates could reverse the course of their lives, which would benefit not only themselves, but society as a whole.Boozel said after paying their debt to society for their crime, inmates should have the chance to better themselves.“This is a hand up, not a handout,” he said. “This is an opportunity for everyone in our community to be better.”Boozel said if even one of the 10 inmates who participate in the program leaves the jail and finds employment in manufacturing instead of returning to crime, and eventually, the court system, taxpayers will save thousands of dollars.Covert said most manufacturers in the area start their entry-level employees at $13 to $15 per hour with full benefit and retirement packages.In addition to the inmates, manufacturers will benefit from the program, Covert said.“The biggest benefit will be more trained people to enter the workforce and to help fill the skills gap,” he said.Penn United has been operating a manufacturing pre-apprentice program at BC3 since last year, when BC3 added more equipment to its classrooms.Before that, Penn United conducted classes at its campus, Covert said.“It's a manufacturer's program designed by manufacturers for manufacturers,” he said. “I think that's why it's been so successful.”Covert is excited to begin the collaboration with the county inmates, who he said will have “career skills, not just job skills, and family sustaining wages” when their sentences are complete.
