New welding program could help incarcerated Mississippians gain employment after release

[TexasTowelie]

A new program for Mississippi inmates is helping to train, certify and employ welders. Experts say this program could help those in prisons re-enter society after finishing their sentences.

The new certification program is launching at the Central Mississippi Corrections Facility that uses new augmented reality equipment to teach welding. Participants will receive both in-person instructions on welding, as well as use this new technology to practice their skills and be graded in real-time.

Mississippi has one of the highest incarceration rates in the nation, and 77 percent will return within five years of their release according to the National Institute of Justice. Burl Cain, Commissioner of the Department of Corrections, says job security can help prevent a formerly incarcerated person from returning to prison.

“You can’t re-enter broke. And this equips them with high skill jobs so that they’re very employable so therefore they get past the stigma of being ex-convicts,” says Cain. “You may not get a job sweeping the floor, but you’ll get a job being a certified welder like you see here. And that’s what this is all about. It creates skills in trade that’s making inmates employable.”

Read more: https://www.mpbonline.org/blogs/news/new-welding-program-could-help-incarcerated-mississippians-gain-employment-after-release/

[tirebiter]

1. An excellent idea.

Last edited Mon Jan 3, 2022, 06:20 PM - Edit history (1)

They can be making $1/4M a year starting. I got into it to be able to fix rust spots on my old van and found myself wanted by employers nation wide.

[captain queeg]

2. Stuff like this is a great way to rehabilitate folks

Getting out and then not being able to find work often leads to them falling back in their old ways. Years ago I worked in a meat packing plant. There was a state prison in the town and they had a program to teach meat cutting and s some times we’d hire someone on work releases. I must admit I thought it was pretty strange to give those guys knifes, but teaching a grade is a great idea. .

[TheBlackAdder]

3. I was talking to my former neighbor who was a County College VoTech Welding Instructor.

.

He was a pipeline/pipe fitter who worked on power and nuclear plant construction & underwater certified.

He would teach stick and MIG welding briefly and then concentrate most of the education on TIG/Heliarc welding so that his students could automatically test for being pipe fitters on the day they graduated--which is the one of the highest paying skills.

He did not want to see therm get low-skilled welding jobs which have fierce competition as most welders meet this level.

.

[Turbineguy]

4. Joining two pieces of metal together can be deeply satisfying.....

[TheBlackAdder]

5. but the occassional hickeys stink. 🔥