The Mississippi Department of Corrections issued the following statement.
Mississippi Corrections just achieved another milestone. Ten female inmates at the Mississippi Correctional Institute for Women (MCIW) today became the first-ever graduating class in the MDOC’s welding vocational program.
Female inmates at MCIW on the grounds of the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility in Pearl were among the first last year to enroll in intensive classroom study to master welding, starting with simulators in MDOC’s new welding trailer. The trailer moves among prisons around the state. After inmates pass rigorous tests, they are certified by the National Center for Construction Education & Research, the national standard in construction training.
The graduates met that standard and will be employable in a multitude of heavy industry from ironworks to shipbuilding. MDOC Commissioner Burl Cain said many of the inmates completing the program will help teach other inmates following them.
“We have to have these first ones with their degrees, certified and qualified, so they can become teachers so we can have more degrees,” Commissioner Cain said. “A lot of people here need to learn how to weld, get a good job.”
Erica Smith, MCIW Program Director said finding a job is a major step toward success in life after incarceration and that crucial step is a challenge for many inmates after leaving prison.
“One of the major issues women have when they’re released from prison is they can’t find work. So we want to give them something that will help them gain employment when they leave and to help build a promising future,” Smith said.
The next step is a job fair to be hosted at the prison, in which Mississippi construction industries have signed up to attend, including Ingalls Shipyards and others who need welders. Inmates can substantially shorten their time in prison by attending classes and graduating with certified diplomas in skills and trades.
The Mobile Welding Training Center, unveiled in December 2021, is housed in a 53-foot long refurbished 18-wheel trailer. The Center includes eight high-tech welding simulators and was constructed using no taxpayer funds. It moves among facilities approximately every 90 days.
21 comments:
This is a brilliant idea for some women to have a high paying career.
Cause yeah, everyone wants to work with ex-cons…
If they are training people who are going to get out, that’s a great plan. Much better than the Mississippi Prison Industries. They trained people doing life so they didn’t have to keep training press operators. Then used that captive labor to compete against actual businesses.
Excellent. We used to call it non-traditional careers for women. Great idea. Women will do a much better job than men in many applications of this trade.
Great idea Commissioner Cain - Thank you for thinking outside the box. This could eventually put hundreds of women to work in a critical trade.
Next up...Plumbing, lineman, truck driving.
@4:38 - What the hell are you talking about? Press operators? I'll answer my own question. You have no idea what you're talking about.
Cause yeah, everyone wants to work with ex-cons…September 2, 2023 at 4:29 PM
Since you've never worked in a skilled, trade occupation, you need to know that there is no concern about anybody's past life, only what they bring to the table and the contribution to the team effort. Attitude, skill, comradery.
This sorta shit probably confuses you if you're in a cubicle playing solitaire.
Congrats, ladies. Job well done.
Stayed hotel Washington, PA couple years back. Dozen blue collar guys drinking some beers around their trucks at the end of the day. One saw my plate and came over to talk as I got my gear out. He was from Gulfport. Is a welder. Pointed out 5 other guys in the group drinking beers from Mississippi. Told me, this was 2019, they were getting $35/hr to start with more overtime than they could work. Said the owner of the business he worked for was taking all the Mississippi welders he could get. The company paid for the hotel room. Double occupancy. Said he was banking serious green.
Welders are in demand.
Worked installing duct and pipe insulation one summer in high school with a guy convicted of manslaughter (killed his wife who he caught cheating on him). Great worker and nice guy. Never met another worker better at cutting odd degree angles for duct and pipe work. Non-gangster folks can be productive citizens. This sounds like a good program.
I support this 100%. If they are good at what they have been trained to do this will help them. They can get a job as a welder and make a living at it.
They could use those skills to bust into safes.
This is great news! Now you’re gonna have people saying I wanna get in that program and have a good paying job in their future!
Now 4:29 I’d rather know that the person that works with me was a former inmate. Cause I don’t know what you’ve done in the past and just hadn’t got caught yet!
Great news MDOC
they're still felons, no one is going to hire them
@5:09 most likely talking about press break operators for sheet metal work, if which they have a lot of.
@4:29 The only difference between ex-cons and other criminals is that the other criminals have not yet been caught and convicted.
@4:29 - You work with 'em now. They've just not been caught yet. Lighten up, Lucy.
They can make a difference if they can be an asset to the employer and not a liability if they perform the following:
1: Possess a positive work ethic and a good positive attitude.
2: Show up on time.
3: Get along with management and not intimidate the other employees.
4: Do not expect a raise every time you do something good and think you need to be rewarded. That won’t set too well.
More empty kitchens.
@10:44 - You've never worked in a personnel or HR office. 12-15 years ago a felony hit on a background check and most misdemeanor convictions were reject flags. No more. People who have served their time and have a skill-set to offer an employer are being hired everywhere.
I employed a worker some years back who wore an ankle bracelet. Best and most dependable worker at the business. Made a mistake, owned up, served the penalty, moved on.
@5:09 "most likely talking about press break operators for sheet metal work, if which they have a lot of."
Are you maybe talking about a Brake-Press? State prisons here 'have a lot of them'? Really?
Good job ladies! I wish them success and hope this career opportunity allows them to live without crime.
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