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of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

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    Pennsylvania Department of Corrections

    Workforce Development

    Connecting employers with skilled employees.

    An inmate cuts a tree with a chainsaw

    "In general, especially if the business has made a commitment to returning citizens and their training, we found much higher levels of loyalty, lower turnover and greater sense of pride in the success of the business and their own career success." - Jeff Brown, CEO of Brown's Super Stores and a Second-Chance Employer

    Employment is a key part of success for reentrants returning to society after incarceration. The DOC prepares inmates to return to the workforce while encouraging employers to give reentrants a second chance.

    Resources

    Clean Slate

    Community Reentry Parole Agent Information

    DOC Vocational Education Programs

    DOC Vocational Programs by Location

    DOC Vocational Certifications

    Employer Hiring Incentives

    Healthcare Employer Guide to Hiring People with Arrests and Conviction Records

    Honest Jobs

    Levelset Community Partner Scorecard

    MoneyGeek Resource

    Pennsylvania Correctional Industries

    PA CareerLink

    PA Department of Labor and Industry (Workforce)

    Reimagine Reentry Brochure

    Reimagine Reentry Training Course

    Podcasts, News and Multimedia

    Getting Hired with a Criminal Record (June 2023)

    The Federal Bonding Program (April 2023)

    Become a Second Chance Employer - A PA DOC-led Information Roundtable (March 2023)

    The Work Opportunity Tax Credit Benefits for Employers (Feb. 2023)

    Exiting Prison, Entering the Workforce: Panelists Make the Case for Hiring Reentrants (Feb. 2023)

    DOC Podcast: Second Chance Hiring: A Win-Win for Everyone (Jan. 2023)

    Become a Second Chance Employer – Informational Roundtable (Sept. 2022)

    SCPa Works Roundtable: Benefits of Hiring Reentrants (March 2021)

    Engage! Business and Manufacturing Roundtable: Workforce Development and Hiring Options (Jan. 2021)

    Employer Testimony

    "Across Lancaster County and the United States, businesses are struggling to hire skilled workers – people trained for jobs in industries like healthcare, technology, and manufacturing and for jobs in the trades like plumbers and electricians. With a tight labor market and low unemployment rate, it is imperative that we do not exclude eligible, qualified candidates from our talent pools. Many individuals in the criminal justice system receive education or vocational training during incarceration and/or work with a job placement organization. As a result, upon reentry, they offer valuable skills and talent to a variety of industry sectors, while rebuilding a solid foundation for themselves." - Lancaster Chamber

    "The partnership we have with the PA DOC has been phenomenal! The people at the PA DOC are truly committed to helping the population become successful, productive members of society. At Flagger Force, we are dedicated to providing people with opportunities for careers. The DOC works with us to provide job ready candidates who are excited to have a chance to demonstrate their value. We have been able to hire dozens of employees who have promoted up through our organization thanks to the help of the PA DOC. The people we have hired as part of our Workforce Development Program have been some of our most reliable, dependable and conscientious employees. We are thrilled to partner with the PA DOC and look forward to working with them for many years to come." - Jen Strobel, Vice President of Human Resources, Flagger Force

    ​Contact

    Employers: Interested in filling your workforce needs? Contact:

    Dorenda Hamarlund

    dhamarlund@pa.gov
    Workforce Development Specialist