Prison Inmates In Essex County Get Job Training, Education

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — On the surface, it’s something simple: making an egg. But with the well-practiced preparation of an omelet, a new future is being cooked up for prison inmates at the Essex County Correctional Facility in Newark.

Earlier this week, Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. was joined by former New Jersey governor James McGreevey and the Essex County Correctional Facility Civilian Task Force to announce new job training and continuing education programs for inmates at the county-run prison.

The goal is simple, officials said: to reduce recidivism by teaching inmates marketable job skills so they’re ready to join the workforce when they’re released. Read More: Training For NJ Prison Inmates Could Ease Worker Shortages, Advocates Say

The new job training programs include:

COOKING – Introduction to Culinary the Fundamentals and Servsafe, Food Handlers’ Certification is an eight-week program, which is held twice per week with 10 students in each class. The course includes a cooking competition. Servsafe’s food handler certification will be implemented into the culinary program. The certification received by the students does not have an expiration date.

CONSTRUCTION – BTI (Brenshirer Technical Institute) offers 90 hours of training in construction safety. This includes OSHA 40-hour HAZWOPER (hazardous materials cleanup), OSHA 30-hour Construction Health and Safety, NYC DOB 4-hour Scaffolding, 8-hour Fall Prevention, and 8-hour First Aid/CPR/AED. Each class will have between 7 and 40 students. The program is for 30 days with three hours of instruction per day. Training is held onsite and can continue post-release through remote or onsite classes. The inmate can apply for immediate employment or apprenticeships through the Essex County One-Stop Center, Welfare to Work, state-funded reentry job training programs and county job fairs. Students also have opportunities to obtain their CDL license.

Meanwhile, inmates also have access to some new education opportunities, which are being done in partnership with Essex County College and All the Way Up Adult Education Center.

Essex County College is providing English as a Second Language, reading and pre-algebra courses, with a focus on preparing students for the High School Equivalency Exam and the GED exam. The courses are offered twice per week with 10 to 15 students per class.

All the Way Up Adult Education Center, which is based in Newark, is offering classes and individualized training in High School Equivalency Prep, Adult Basic Education and Job Readiness Skills Training.

In addition to the programs being offered at the prison, inmates will have access to all the resources of the Essex County One-Stop Career Center and other support services offered through the department.

According to county officials, much of the funding for the programs is being provided through the Essex County Department of Economic Development, Training and Employment.

The Essex County Correctional Facility is the largest county prison in New Jersey. In all, the prison has a rated capacity of 2,434 inmates – more people than the populations of 94 New Jersey municipalities.

• See Related: Long-Awaited Review Gives Deep Look Into NJ's Largest County Prison

“Using the time that our inmates have in our correctional facility to offer job training and continuing education opportunities will give them an advantage when they are released and help them more easily re-join the community,” Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. said.

“Preparing them for their future and opening a path to successful employment is a proactive approach to reducing recidivisim,” DiVincenzo added.

McGreevey – who chairs the recently created civilian task force at the prison – also supported the county’s new initiatives.

“Through these programs, inmates will receive recognized credentials and skills that they can take anywhere,” he said.

Other support came from:

New Jersey Senate Majority Leader Teresa Ruiz – “We need to stop the revolving door of recidivism. This initiative is doing just that by enabling students who complete the programs with certifications and skills that can lead to lifetime employment.”

Essex County Correctional Facility Director Ronald Charles – “The biggest challenge many of our inmates face is reintegrating successfully into the community after they are released from our custody. Having marketable job skills and providing opportunities to enhance their education will help our inmates overcome obstacles, give them an opportunity to become self-supportive and independent, and help guide them down a path away from crime.”

Essex County Prosecutor Ted Stevens – “This is a great opportunity to help inmates re-enter the community and reduce recidivism. It’s easy to lock people up, but this initiative will help people enter the workforce, become self-supportive and hopefully find a life away from crime.”

Jennifer Langenbach, resident district manager of GD Correctional Food Services – “The certifications the inmates receive through this program will stay with them their entire lives. The certification can be the key to lifelong employment.”

Essex County College President Augustine Boakye – “We see this as just the beginning of our academic contribution. We are happy to collaborate with Essex County and guide inmates in pursuit of their education because if we provide education today, we can lead them on a different path for the future.”

Christopher Jennings, executive director of the All the Way Up Adult Education Center – “Getting a GED opens up a new world of opportunity for our students. The people we help here will have access to better jobs, improved financial health and be able to contribute to their community upon their release.”

• See Related: Nonprofit Helps Ex-Inmates In Newark Find Jobs, Stay Out Of Jail
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